High-speed digital imaging and electroglottography of tracheoesophageal phonation by Amatsu's method.

Background: Our previous findings have indicated that the thyropharyngeal muscles form a retropharyngeal prominence during alaryngeal phonation via the TE fistula. This prominence forms a so-called 'neoglottis', which is thought to function as the vibratory source. To better understand the mechanism of TE phonation, we analyzed the vibration of the neoglottis using electroglottography (EGG) and a high-speed digital imaging system.

Patients And Methods: Two volunteers who use TE phonation for their daily speech communication were subjected to this study. The vibrations of the neoglottis were recorded simultaneously as EGG and high-speed imaging with acoustic signals.

Results: The vibrations of the neoglottis, recorded by means of high-speed digital imaging, were exactly synchronized with the waveforms of the acoustic signals and EGG.

Conclusions: These results further confirm the neoglottis as the source of vibration during tracheoesophageal (TE) phonation.