Influence of Tracheal stenosis on Vocal Fold Vibration: A case report

Objectives: Patients with laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) suffer from various problems such as dyspnea, stridor, intolerance of a speaking valve or inability of tracheostomy decannulation. The impact of LTS on the voice has been poorly understood and studied, particularly in adults. There has been no detailed qualitative or quantitative data about voice quality in patients with LTS. This case report presents tracheal stenosis with stridor and dysphonia with abnormal patterns of vocal fold vibration. Case Report: We report a female patient with post-tracheostomy tracheal stenosis presented with moderate stridor and dysphonia due to an atypical pattern of vibration, which has been reversed after balloon tracheal dilatation using rigid bronchoscopy. The case showed marked improvement after dilatation in respiratory distress, dyspnea and the voice quality as evidenced subjectively by Auditory Perceptual Assessment (APA) and objectively by acoustic analysis. Conclusion: Tracheal stenosis affects the mechanism of vocal fold vibration, which is reversed after tracheal dilatation with subsequent improvement of vocal fold vibration.