Summary
Objective
Bariatric surgery has been documented to improve comorbidities associated with obesity.
Obesity can cause deposition of excess adipose tissue, narrowing of the vocal tract,
and decreased lung capacity contributing to reduced vocal quality and increased vocal
effort. Limited information is available regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on voice
outcomes. This review seeks to examine the role of bariatric surgery on voice outcomes.
Study Design
Systematic review.
Methods
A systematic review was completed using PubMed and Embase for measures of vocal change
before and after bariatric surgery. Studies were reviewed by three authors, and data
related to acoustic, aerodynamic, auditory-perceptual, and patient-reported outcome
measures were extracted.
Results
Forty-nine abstracts were identified with seven meeting criteria for analysis. Voice
outcomes pre and postbariatric surgery were measured across 122 individuals. Results
revealed increased fundamental frequency (F0) and increased maximum phonation time (MPT) during sustained vowel productions. Correlation
coefficients for MPT for /a/ were -0.683 and -0.725 for F0, respectively, indicating a strong negative correlation between body mass index and
MPT and F0. Trends toward improved auditory-perceptual ratings and improved patient-reported
outcome measures were also noted. However, studies were limited by restricted patient
demographics and limited use of standardized and/or comprehensive evaluation techniques.
Conclusion
Weight loss associated with bariatric surgery can result in improved voice outcomes;
however, the mechanism by which it helps is unclear. To better understand this, otolaryngologists
and speech-language pathologists may consider advocating for pre- and postsurgery
voice evaluation in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 12, 2023
Accepted:
December 21,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofFootnotes
Supported by: No funding obtained.
This manuscript was presented at Fall Voice 2022 in San Francisco, CA October 6-8, 2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
