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.

Limits on quality of life in communication after total laryngectomy.

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.