Therapeutic device as a facilitating resource for esophageal voice acquisition.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the findings on the use of a therapeutic device for direct esophageal stimulation, which facilitates the production of the esophageal voice. METHOD: Fifteen total laryngectomized subjects, with no voice production and no success in traditional speech-language pathology therapies for esophageal voice acquisition, participated. Subjects were evaluated using a specific vocal quality protocol for total laryngectomy, videofluoroscopy, and a vocal self-assessment questionnaire before and after 12 sessions of esophageal stimulation with the device. To stimulate esophageal voice acquisition, direct esophageal stimulation was performed using a catheter with a total length of 50 cm, which was introduced from the nostril until reaching the pharyngoesophageal segment; the other end of the catheter was fixed to the tracheostoma. The intervention occurred over 12 consecutive weeks, without interruption. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed at a 5% significance level. RESULTS: Nine (60%) subjects developed effective esophageal voice for communication, while 6 (40%) managed to develop esophageal sound. Auditory-perceptual evaluation did not show statistically significant differences between pre- and post-intervention moments; however, participants' self-assessment indicated perceived improvement in vocal quality. CONCLUSION: Esophageal stimulation with the proposed device was associated with improvements in patients' self-assessment and enabled a proportion of subjects to achieve functional esophageal voice. The device may represent a feasible therapeutic resource. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2B - Prospective interventional study without control group.