Leilane Maria de Lima

Incomplete Swallowing and Retracted Tongue Maneuvers for Electromyographic Signal Normalization of the Extrinsic Muscles of the Larynx

PURPOSE To investigate which muscular maneuvers provide larger electric activity (EA) of the suprahyoid (SH) and infrahyoid (IH) muscles to be used as surface electromyography (SEMG) signal normalization reference. METHODS The electrical potentials of the SH and IH muscles of 12 subjects were evaluated using six muscular maneuvers, involving the position of the tongue and effort. It was selected as maximum voluntary sustained activity maneuver, the one having the minor coefficient of variation and the smallest value for each muscle group. The EA signal was converted using the root mean square in microvolts. It was considered then the maximum signal of each maneuver as the difference between the mean of three measures and the resting potential. RESULTS The maneuvers that provided higher mean potentials with minor coefficient of variation and smallest P value were incomplete swallowing (IS) with effort (mean potential equal to 56.73±8.68 with coefficient of variation of 15.30%) in SH group, and tongue retracted with mouth open (TROM, mean potential equal to 46.57±7.83 with coefficient of variation of 16.81%) in IH group. CONCLUSION The IS with effort and TROM maneuvers should be considered for signal normalization in these muscles, respectively, and may provide conditions for using the SEMG in voice clinic. SIGNIFICANCE The use of normalization standards in researches of SH and IH muscles in the voice area will allow comparisons among future works.

Eletromiografia de superfície do músculo masseter durante a mastigação: uma revisão sistemática

The chewing, a complex action controlled by the central nervous system, is one of the most important functions of the Stomatognathic System. During this action, the electrical activity of the masticatory muscles may be quantified using a surface electromyography. In order to systematically review the literature, on the methods and foods used in EMGS masseter muscle during mastication, we carried out a search in the databases SciELO, Brazil, Lilacs and Medline / Pubmed, from September to October 2009. We included population-based studies and excluded review studies without clear methodological definition and studies with children, adolescents and elderly. About 657 articles were found at the intersection of the following descriptors and their corresponding in English: chewing and masseter and electromyography, which 12 of them selected. It was found that the methods involved in the execution of surface electromyography of the masseter muscle during mastication, vary according to each author, and there is no standard for a specific food in order to perform the examination.

Electrical Activity of Extrinsic Laryngeal Muscles in Subjects With and Without Dysphonia

OBJECTIVE To compare dysphonic individuals to nondysphonic with regards to electrical activity of extrinsic laryngeal muscles related to perceptual and acoustic vocal parameters. HYPOTHESIS Dysphonic individuals have higher electrical activity in the supra and infrahyoid muscles than those nondysphonic. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, cross-sectional, case series study. METHODS Forty-one subjects, divided into two groups according to the presence of dysphonia, underwent evaluation of surface electromyography, auditory-perceptual, and acoustic evaluations of voice during the vocal rest and sustained emissions of the vowel /ε/ and count of 20 to 30 at usual and strong intensities. RESULTS The dysphonic group differed significantly from the nondysphonic by (1) lower electrical activity normalized by the maximum sustained voluntary activity evaluated in all tasks of phonation in the suprahyoid group; (2) lower recruitment of electrical activity in emissions of strong intensity compared with those of usual intensity in the suprahyoid muscles to emit the vowel /ε/ (13.66 ± 5.17 in dysphonic group and 35.20 ± 7.60 in the nondysphonic group, P = 0.029) and in the infrahyoid muscles in the count of 20 to 30 (14.90 ± 4.69 vs. 42.01 ± 6.15; P < 0.001) and to emit the vowel /ε/ (11.47 ± 6.52 vs. 22.66 ± 9.05, P < 0.001); (3) lower vocal intensity to produce the vowel /ε/ in usual and strong intensities and count in strong intensity. The electrical activities of the maximum sustained voluntary activity were reduced with increasing degree of dysphonia. CONCLUSIONS There was lower electrical activity of the extrinsic laryngeal muscles in dysphonic individuals compared with nondysphonic, and related to the degree of dysphonia.

Quality of life and deglutition after total laryngectomy

Summary Introduction: Total laryngectomy creates deglutition disorders and causes a decrease in quality of life Aim: To describe the impact of swallowing and quality of life of patients after total laryngectomy. Method: A case series study. Patients completed a Swallowing and Quality of Life questionnaire composed of 44 questions assessing 11 domains related to quality of life (burden, eating duration, eating desire, frequency of symptoms, food selection, communication, fear, mental health, social functioning, sleep, and fatigue). The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and variability. Results: The sample comprised 15 patients who underwent total laryngectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. Of these, 66.7% classified their health as good and 73% reported no restrictions on food consistency. The domains “communication” and “fear” represented severe impact and “eating duration” represented moderate impact on quality of life. The items with lower scores were: longer time to eat than others (domain “eating duration”), cough and cough to remove the liquid or food of the mouth when they are stopped (domain “symptom frequency”), difficulties in understanding (domain “communication”) and fear of choking and having pneumonia (domain “fear”). Conclusion: After total laryngectomy, patients report that swallowing issues have moderate to severe impact in “communication,” “fear,” and “eating duration” domains.

Limits on quality of life in communication after total laryngectomy

Summary Introduction: Among people affected by cancer, the impairment of quality of life of people affected by cancer can cause have devastating effects. The self-image of patients after post-laryngectomyzed patients may be find themselves compromised, affecting the quality of life in this population. Objective: To characterize quality of life in related to communication in people who have undergone went total laryngectomy surgery. Methods: This is an observational study, with a cross-sectional and descriptive series. Design of series study. The sample were comprised 15 patients interviewed the period from January to February of 2011. We used the Quality Protocol for Life Communication in Post-laryngectomy adapted from Bertocello (2004); which this questionnaire contains 55 questions. The protocol was organized from the nature of using responses classified as positive and negative aspects, proposals in with respect to five 5 communication domains: family relationships, social relationships, personal analysis; morphofunctional aspect, and use of writing. To promote and guarantee the autonomy of the respondents, was examiners made use of used assistive technology with the Visual Response Scale. Results: The responses that total laryngectomy compromises the quality of life in communication amounted to 463 occurrences (65.7%), and that who responses suggesting good quality of life were represented with amounted to 242 occurrences (34.3%), from a total of 705 occurrencesresponses. From Among the five 5 Communication domains, four 4 had percentages of above 63% for occurrences of negative content for impact on communication. Appearance Morphofunctional appearance gave the had the highest percentage of negative content, amounting to 77.3% of cases. Conclusions: The results showed important limitations of a personal and social nature due to poor communication with their peers. Thus, there is a need for multidisciplinary interventions that aim to minimize the entrapment of negative impact on these people communication among these patients.

Preferência de lado mastigatório e simetria facial em laringectomizados totais: estudo clínico e eletromiográfico

PURPOSE: to observe whether a relationship exists between the preference of chewing side, facial anthropometry and electrical activity of masseter muscle in total laryngectomy. METHODS: data collection, performed in the Speech Therapy Cancer Hospital of Pernambuco (HCP), with the participation of fifteen volunteers laryngectomized males and mean age of 64 years. We performed measurement of distances between points and anthropometric facial ex ch in hemifaces of volunteers and later executed EMG of the masseter muscles, bilaterally, in his habitual intercuspal (MHI), unilateral right and left chewing and during mastication. Filming took place during mastication to identify the side of the preference side. RESULTS: individuals whose right side is the masticatory predominance showed of the left side of the face to a greater extent (72.37 mm), while those whose prevalence of side left masticatory had higher estensao the side right (68.85 mm). In unilateral chewing right the electrical activity of the right masseter had an average 123.57% , while the left masseter showed an average 84.85% of the activity in relation to MHI (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: in laryngectomized anthropometric facial measurements correlate with the preference side chewing and the values of the masseter EMG during mastication.

Electrical activity of masseter muscle in young adults during swallowing of liquid.

PURPOSE To characterize the electrical activity of the masseter muscle during swallowing of liquids in healthy young adults. METHODS Participants were 14 volunteers considered healthy according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria established for this study. The bilateral electromyographic evaluation of the masseter muscle was conducted at rest and in swallowing tasks of 14.5 ml, 20 ml and 100 ml of liquid. The electromyographic signal was normalized by the maximum voluntary activity resisted (MVAR), considered as 100% of the muscles electrical activity. RESULTS In the right masseter, the highest average percentage was found in the 20 ml task, and in the left masseter, in the 14.5 ml task. In the right masseter there was difference between the 14.5 ml and the 20 ml swallowing tasks. In the left masseter, no differences were found between the swallowing tasks. CONCLUSION The electrical activity of the masseter muscle in healthy young adults during deglutition of liquids can be influenced by volume swallowed, and present different responses bilaterally.