Lines of Communication

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The vocal folds

Research Visit - York Hospital

The advantage of this treatment is the ability to see the vocal folds moving as the patient speaks. A second technique is to place a stroboscope - a larger tube approximately 0.5 cm in diameter - down the throat to observe the vocal tract and folds. This latter procedure has the disadvantage of only viewing the folds when the patient is not speaking. As part of my research I was able to volunteer to undergo both these investigative procedures. Neither were painful, just a little uncomfortable and the exciting results were well worth the inconvenience.

My visit to York included a discussion with Mr Andy Grace, Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon. He explained several surgical procedures. I accompanied him to theatre to observe two operations, one to remove

a small nodule on the vocal folds and the other to remove a papilloma on the vocal folds. Both were done by laser surgery and I was able to track the process on a monitor in the operating theatre.

The final meeting was with Professor David Howard. An energetic and exuberant man, he spent some time informing me about his work with the singing voice and projects he has completed that compare and contrast different voices ( for example choir boys and choir girls voices). Professor Howard demonstrated his newly developed software that allowed visualisation of the singing or speaking voice on a computer, designed to assist music teachers. His work (and enthusiasm for his subject) is inspirational.

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