Abstract
Protein anabolic steroid produces a side effect of lowering vocal pitch in some women, i. e. virilization of voice. Virilization causes an increase in size and mass of the vocal folds, resulting in lowered voice pitch, hoarseness, and/or inability to sing higher notes. The voice disorder is often long lasting and the prognosis is unfavorable. Saito and Kokawa devised a surgical technique to raise the vocal pitch. Their technique employed an anteroposterior incision in the bilateral thyroarytenoid muscle. Immediate results were reported to be satisfactory. Long term results of this method, however, have not been reported. This paper reports a case who underwent the thyroarytenoid muscle incision for voice virilization and was followed up for two years. Following the surgery, the vocal pitch was raised and the effect continued for two years.
