Abstract
Reconstruction of the oral cancer patient should aim not only at morphological restoration but also at postoperative functions. However, there are few reports about quantitative evaluation of postoperative functions. We have attempted quantitative evaluation of post operative articulatory function after glossectomy, and report about evaluation of articulatory characteristics by acoustical analysis, speech intelligibility, electropalatography (EPG), and visual examination.
Subject had a reconstructed a forearm flap after glossectomy. Target syllables were/ta/and/ka/from a speech intelligibility test. To evaluate the articulatory function, we used a speech intelligibility test, EPG, and visual examination. We also attempted evaluation by acoustical analysis. The speech intelligibility was tested just before, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after operation. EPG data was corrected 6 months after operation by DP-01 (RION).
Visual examination was carried out with other tests. Acoustical analysis were carried out by consonant frequency characteristics and formant variance from consonant to vowel transitions.
As a result, articulatory characteristics expected from acoustical analysis agreed with the results of EPG, and visual examination, more than with the results of the speech intelligibility test.
From the results, it is suggested that the acoustical analysis used for this research, could reveal changes in articulatory movement, and will be useful to quantitatively evaluate postoperative articulatory functions.
