| Total laryngectomy leads to a complete separation of the pharynx (throat) and trachea (wind pipe). This means that the normal way of voicing, using pulmonary air to evoke vibrations of the laryngeal mucosa is no longer possible. The implantation of a so-called voice prosthesis, which re-establishes the connection between the trachea and the pharynx, allows using pulmonary air to evoke vibrations, but now in the pharyngeal mucosa, allowing the patient to speak. The anatomical and functional characteristics of the new sound source that determine the quality of the voice have been studied extensively in recent years. The results of these studies are condensed in the thesis of C.J. van As, PhD. In the subsequent project we want to focus on the perceptual and acoustic determinants of speech intelligibility in laryngectomized individuals. |
