Oro-oesophageal voice:

– Technique: Swallowing air through the mouth then belch out through the oesophageal mouth, articulate this oral air outlet.

– Advantages: voice of more or less good quality, the hands are free

– Disadvantages: tracheal inspiration noise, injection noise, long, difficult and tiring learning.

(In french) Oro-oesophageal voice step by step: Worksheet n°1, Worksheet n°2, Worksheet n°3

Tracheo-oesophageal voice:

– Technique: It requires the presence of a phonatory implant that the surgeon inserted either at the end of the surgery or at a distance from any additional treatment. Pulmonary expiratory air is directed to the top of the oesophagus when the patient blocks his/her tracheostoma with the finger. The air exhaled generates vibrations in the oesophageal sphincter and produces a sound that will be articulated.

– Advantages: fluid voice, sound of voice louder and more natural, easy and faster to learn.

– Disadvantages: incidents related to the phonatory implant (liquid incontinence, wear of one-way valve hinge), need to obstruct the tracheostoma.

(In french) Tracheo-oesophageal voice step by step: Worksheet

It is often recommended to learn these two voices at the same time.

Laryngophone

– Technique: The sound is produced by the vibration generated by the apparatus which is placed on the skin on the neck.

– Advantages: often the last recourse allowing speech when the other 2 voices have failed.

– Disadvantages: unnatural voice, the hands are not free, large apparatus, impossible to use on an irradiated area.