Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Transfeminine patients can experience significant gender dysphoria in vocal communication. Feminization laryngoplasty (FL) is a gender-affirming surgery developed to elevate speaking vocal range, as well as alter vocal resonance and laryngeal cosmesis. The purpose here was to appraise FL's long-term voice outcomes across a 17-year review period.STUDY DESIGN: Level III, retrospective study and description of technique.SETTING: A single-institution transfeminine voice clinic.METHODS: Voice data (speaking fundamental frequency [F0], lowest F0, highest F0, F0 range in both Hertz and semitones, and maximum phonation time [MPT]) were collected and assessed. Self-assessment of voice femininity and complications were documented.RESULTS: The 162 patients, all transfeminine women, had a mean age of 40 years with 36-month mean follow-up. There were significant increases in mean speaking F0 (Delta = 50 ± 30 Hz, Delta = 6 ± 3 semitones; P < .001) and mean change in lowest F0 (Delta = 58 ± 31 Hz, Delta = 8 ± 4 semitones; P < .001). There was no significant difference in mean change in highest F0 or MPT. There was significant improvement (Delta = 60% ± 39%; P < .001) in perceptual self-assessment of vocal femininity. There was a 1.2% rate of major postoperative complications requiring inpatient admission or operative intervention. There were no differences in vocal outcomes between those patients who had less than 1-year follow-up and those who had 5-year follow-up.CONCLUSION: FL in this cohort was a safe and effective technique for increasing mean speaking F0, mean lowest F0, and voice gender perception over a prolonged follow-up period. These findings add to the possible treatments aimed at addressing the morbid dysphoria related to voice and communication for our transfeminine patients.

View details for DOI 10.1177/01945998211036870

View details for PubMedID 34399638