Predicting esophageal speech.

Patients undergoing laryngectomy in the 1980s have a low rate of acquisition of esophageal speech. The interaction of the factors of postoperative physical performance status, preoperative phonation duration, postoperative dysphagia, site of lesion, patient income, and postoperative radiation therapy correctly predict the acquisition of esophageal speech in 83% of cases and the failure to acquire esophageal speech in 96%. Such information may be helpful in selecting patients for alternative forms of postlaryngectomy speech rehabilitation.