Listy klinické logopedie 2026, 10(1):4-10

Effectiveness of vocal fold augmentation on voice quality of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis

Mgr. Ema Číčelová1, Mgr. Katarína ©álková3, PhDr. ®ofia Korim, Ph.D.1,2, Prof. MUDr. Miroslav Tedla, PhD., MPH1
1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital Bratislava, Antolská 11, 851 07 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
2 Department of Communication Disorders, Faculty of Education, Comenius University in Bratislava, Račianska 59, 813 34 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
3 SCPP Institute of Children's Speech in Bratislava, ®elezničiarska 31, 831 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Dysphonia is a frequent consequence of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (paresis), characterised by breathy voice quality, vocal fatigue, and short maximum phonation times. Injection laryngoplasty augmentation of the paretic vocal fold is a surgical procedure intended to improve glottal fold closure and alleviate symptoms of dysphonia. This article will present the preoperative and postoperative laryngological examination and voice assessment of patients undergoing vocal fold augmentation. The aim of the study is to evaluate changes in various areas of voice assessment (auditory-perceptual, acoustic, aero­dynamic, and subjective) after vocal fold augmentation. The research sample consists of 30 individuals (15 female, 15 male) with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Of all four evaluated areas, statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) after augmentation were recorded in nine parameters (G, B, jitter, shimmer, GNE, minimum frequency, maximum phonation times /a:/ and /z:/, and VHI-30). Based on our results, injection laryngoplasty leads to a significant short-term improvement in the voice quality of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. The selected voice parameters are shown to be relevant and sensitive parameters for assessing the effectiveness of phonosurgical treatment. Their inclusion in a standardised protocol for objective assessment of patients with vocal fold paralysis is recommended.

Keywords: unilateral vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold augmentation, voice assessment, laryngological assessment, dysphonia

Received: September 14, 2025; Revised: February 12, 2026; Accepted: March 4, 2026; Published: June 14, 2026  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Číčelová E, ©álková K, Korim ®, Tedla M. Effectiveness of vocal fold augmentation on voice quality of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Listy klinické logopedie. 2026;10(1):4-10.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. DEJONCKERE, P. H. et al., 2001. A basic protocol for functional assessment of voice pathology, especially for investigating the efficacy of (phonosurgical) treatments and evaluating new assessment techniques: Guideline Elaborated by the Committee on Phoniatrics of the European Laryngological Society (ELS). Online. European Archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology, vol. 258, no. 2, pp. 77-82. DOI: 10.1007/s004050000299. Available from: A basic protocol for functional assessment of voice pathology, especially for investigating the efficacy of (phonosurgical) treatments and evaluating new assessment techniques. Guideline elaborated by the Committee on Phoniatrics of the European Laryngological Society (ELS) - PubMed. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. DESUTER, G., DEDRY, M., SCHAAR, B., LITH-BIJL, J. van, BENTHEM, P. P. van and SJÖGREN, E. V., 2018. Voice outcome indicators for unilateral vocal fold paralysis surgery: a review of the literature. Online. European Archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology, vol. 275, no. 2, pp. 459-468. DOI: 10.1007/s00405-017-4844-9. Available from: Voice outcome indicators for unilateral vocal fold paralysis surgery: a review of the literature - PubMed. Go to original source...
    3. EL-BANNA, M. and YOUSSEF, G., 2014. Early Voice Therapy in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. Online. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, vol. 66, no. 6, pp. 237-243. DOI: 10.1159/000369167. Available from: Early voice therapy in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis - PubMed. Go to original source...
    4. EYSHOLDT, U., 2019. Laryngoscopy, Stroboscopy, High-Speed Video and Phonovibrogram. In: ZEHNHOFF-DINNESEN, A. am, WISKIRSKA-WOZNICA, B., NEUMANN, K. and NAWKA, T. (eds.). Phoniatrics I: Fundamentals - Voice Disorders - Disorders of Language and Hearing Development. Berlin: Springer, pp. 364-375. ISBN 978-3-662-46780-0.
    5. FRAJKOVÁ, ®., KRÍ®EKOVÁ, A., MI©©ÍKOVÁ, V. and TEDLA, M., 2022. Translation, Cross-Cultural Validation of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30) in Slovak Language. Online. Journal of Voice, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 145.e1-145.e6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.04.003. Available from: Translation, Cross-Cultural Validation of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30) in Slovak Language - ScienceDirect. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. HIRANO, M., 1981. Clinical Examination of Voice (Disorders of Human Communication). Vienna, New York: Springer Verlag. ISBN 978-3211816592.
    7. KOREAN SOCIETY OF LARYNGOLOGY, PHONIATRICS AND LOGOPEDICS GUIDELINE TASK FORCE, RYU, C. H., KWOM, T.-K., KIM, H., KIM, H. S., PARK, I.-S. et al., 2020. Guidelines for the Management of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis From the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics. Online. Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 340-360. DOI: 10.21053/ceo.2020.00409. Available from: (PDF) Guidelines for the Management of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis From the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics. Go to original source...
    8. LECHIEN, J. R., GENEID, A., BOHLENDER, J. E., CANTARELLA, G., AVELLANEDA, J. C. et al., 2023. Consensus for voice quality assessment in clinical practice: Guidelines of the European Laryngological Society and Union of the European Phoniatricians. Online. European Archives of Oto-rhino-laryngology, vol. 280, no. 12, pp. 5459-5473. DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-08211-6. Available from: (PDF) Consensus for voice quality assessment in clinical practice: guidelines of the European Laryngological Society and Union of the European Phoniatricians. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    9. MATTEI, A., DESUTER, G., ROUX, M., LEE, B.-J., LOUGES, M.-A. et al., 2018. International consensus (ICON) on basic voice assessment for unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Online. European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases, vol. 135, no. 1, pp. S11-S15. DOI: 10.1016/j.anorl.2017.12.007. Available from: International consensus (ICON) on basic voice assessment for unilateral vocal fold paralysis - ScienceDirect. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. MISONO, S. and MERATI, A. L., 2012. Evidence-Based Practice: Evaluation and Management of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. Online. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, vol. 45, no. 5, pp. 1083-1108. DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2012.06.011. Available from: Evidence-Based Practice Evaluation and Management of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis | Request PDF. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    11. NOURAEI, S. A. R., MIDDLETON, S. E., BUTLER, C. R. and SANDHU, G. S., 2015. An estimation of the population incidence of adult unilateral vocal fold mobility impairment in England. Online. Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 93-94. DOI: 10.3109/14015439.2014.902497. Available from: An estimation of the population incidence of adult unilateral vocal fold mobility impairment in England - PubMed. Go to original source...
    12. OLTHOFF, A., 2019. Peripheral Neurogenic Voice Disorders. In: ZEHNHOFF-DINNESEN, A. am, WISKIRSKA-WOZNICA, B., NEUMANN, K. and NAWKA, T. (eds.). Phoniatrics I: Fundamentals - Voice Disorders - Disorders of Language and Hearing Development. Berlin: Springer, pp. 280-291. ISBN 978-3-662-46780-0.
    13. SIU, J., TAM, S. and FUNG, K., 2016. A comparison of outcomes in interventions for unilateral vocal fold paralysis: A systematic review: Comparison of Interventions for UVFP. Online. The Laryngoscope, vol. 126, no. 7, pp. 1616-1624. DOI: 10.1002/lary.25739. Available from: A comparison of outcomes in interventions for unilateral vocal fold paralysis: A systematic review - PubMed. Go to original source...
    14. SPATARO, E. A., GRINDLER, D. J. and PANIELLO, R. C., 2014. Etiology and Time to Presentation of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. Online. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, vol. 151, no. 2, pp. 286-293. DOI: 10.1177/0194599814531733. Available from: Etiology and Time to Presentation of Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis - PubMed. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    15. WALTON, C., CONWAY, E., BLACKSHAW, H. and CARDING, P., 2017. Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Systematic Review of Speech-Language Pathology Management. Online. Journal of Voice, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 509.e7-509.e22. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.11.002. Available from: Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Systematic Review of Speech-Language Pathology Management - ScienceDirect. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    16. WUYTS, F. L., BODT, M. S. D., MOLENBERGHS, G., REMACLE, M., HEYLEN, L. et al., 2000. The Dysphonia Severity Index: An Objective Measure of Vocal Quality Based on a Multiparameter Approach. Online. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 796-809. DOI: 10.1044/jslhr.4303.796. Available from: The Dysphonia Severity Index: An Objective Measure of Vocal Quality Based on a Multiparameter Approach: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research: Vol 43, No 3. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content