Prof Marc Remacle?

[kim27]

Grgrglgl. ...  I feel like s****. Lol

Feels like mouth is boxing ring.

Hope you feel better soon Kate

Just wondering if the UK Op was NHS or private?  Very interested in any details xx

[thegreenrabbit]

Hope you feel better soon Kate

Just wondering if the UK Op was NHS or private?  Very interested in any details xx

The VFS glottoplasty is done both on the NHS and as a private op. Cost is about £3K, which includes an overnight stay.

[kim27]

The VFS glottoplasty is done both on the NHS and as a private op. Cost is about £3K, which includes an overnight stay.

Just wondering if anyone has any more info or links?

Thanks

[Kate_H]

NHS.  But only after a pretty intense 5 year pushing for it as I couldn't afford any more private work.  And even then I was desperate and accepted the only option on the table: cricothyroid approximation.  Imagine my surprise when my surgeon offered the glottoplasty instead. Once I'd figured out what that actually was I practically bawled my eyes out with joy =)

Not so joyful at the moment,  mind.  Interestingly,  90% of pain/discomfort is in my mouth from the strain of it being wedged open and my tongue clamped to one side during op.  Not coughing/clearing throat was hardest on first day tho, and I got a bit panicky after having a couple of completely involuntary minor ones =(

Also, trying desperately not to accidentally whisper when dealing with nurses.

Fun fun fun.  Home today tho, so hope will be easier once there.  So long as I can avoid the cats!

[kim27]

NHS.  But only after a pretty intense 5 year pushing for it as I couldn't afford any more private work.  And even then I was desperate and accepted the only option on the table: cricothyroid approximation.  Imagine my surprise when my surgeon offered the glottoplasty instead. Once I'd figured out what that actually was I practically bawled my eyes out with joy =)

Not so joyful at the moment,  mind.  Interestingly,  90% of pain/discomfort is in my mouth from the strain of it being wedged open and my tongue clamped to one side during op.  Not coughing/clearing throat was hardest on first day tho, and I got a bit panicky after having a couple of completely involuntary minor ones =(

Also, trying desperately not to accidentally whisper when dealing with nurses.

Fun fun fun.  Home today tho, so hope will be easier once there.  So long as I can avoid the cats!

Really glad for you - hope the voice turns out great - would be nice to hear when you recover

Don't think I could wait for 5 years for the NHS - apparently the GIC I go to in Scotland has never referred anyone for voice surgery, so I am off to Yeson in November - but would love to hear your results when you can talk again.  The main thing I am not looking forward to is the not talking, but I am writing an app to speak for me lol xx

[Kate_H]

Oh Kim, I think we might be kindred spirits.  If the Scottish GiC you speak of is the Sandyford Glasgow, then I know exactly what you're talking about. They shot me down in flames time after time.  Things really started moving for me once my local specialist for NHS Highland took on my case, culminating in him organising a meeting with ENT.  head honchos last September.  I stated my case to them direct, asking the man and the woman to each imagine putting on each others voice, and to imagine doing that all the time, consciously.

In January they agreed to fund me for CTA,  I met with Prof. Wilson in June (delayed because of burocratic error!) and then she threw the curveball to me my suggesting the glottoplasty instead.  Now I was well aware of the amazing Yeson work, but I hadn't clocked what their actual procedure was.  Once I did... well, I'm writing this from my hospital bed just now, lol x

[Kate_H]

For interest: when I was clarifying what the actual procedure was with my surgeon, I sent her Marc Remarcle's procedure breakdown, to which she replied "yes, similar to Marc's,  except I use micro-scalpels and scissors instead of laser. "

[thegreenrabbit]

For interest: when I was clarifying what the actual procedure was with my surgeon, I sent her Marc Remarcle's procedure breakdown, to which she replied "yes, similar to Marc's,  except I use micro-scalpels and scissors instead of laser. "

Congrats on your surgery. Sounds promising. Definitely worth pursuing through the NHS.

[evenstar]

This thread has developed into a "Voice options in Europe" thread in the meantime... 

Anyway, here is another picture of my glottis. This was taken one month and three days post-op via transnasal fiberscopy. Picture quality isn't great because of the lower resolution of the transnasal device, but unlike the former photos, this one has the right angle to see where the web is. The suture has exactly 1/3 of the length of my vocal folds. It is still partially covered with fibrin glue. My ENT (not Prof Remacle!) said that everything in there looks quite swollen at the moment. I also have the impression that my hoarseness has become worse over the last days. I hope that the sutures and glue will come out soon and that the hoarseness will disappear.

[thegreenrabbit]

The tracheal shave alone is enough to make your voice hoarse for the first month or so.

[Kate_H]

I'm in mortal fear for the sutures. First 48hrs so important, and I had a few minor coughs that I could not prevent,  and thanks to a non working toilet door on a train, when someone opened the door on me whilst still pulling my leggings up they solicited a gasp from me.  It's after 48hrs now, and I've had a few more watery but still pretty minor coughs. Hope everything is holding together! Otherwise doing very well in the no - sound dept!

[anjaq]

As I understood it from Jenny, minor coughs ar enot too bad, as long as there is no pain, it should be fine. I guess one should avoid situations that can be exciting or shocking as best as possible

[Kate_H]

You bet! Going to try and confine myself to house for a few days!

Technically off work for 2-3 weeks, so that'll help A LOT, lol

Thanks for making me feel better tho =) x

[Kate_H]

Just about asked my other half a question just now... got as far as a "ssssss" before I caught myself!

*wipes brow*

[Kate_H]

Lollipops could work - I preferred keeping my mouth full with lots of ice cream though...

Seriously, the first few days are hard, but you'll get used to it. Using alternative means of communication helps - writing, sign language, text-to-speech-apps, ...

But prepare to stay silent for more than two weeks - I wasn't able to speak properly before about 4 weeks after surgery, and my voice is still hoarse most of the time now.

She wasn't kidding! 3 weeks down, and I'm incapable of anything than a hoarse whisper at present,  but that made me happy, so relieved was I not to have my old untrained voice issue forth, like it did in my nightmares!

[thegreenrabbit]

You're right, unfortunately the photos are not optimal. I had a strong urge to gag during the laryngoscopy and so the doctor struggled to get usable pictures at all. I've studied the video more closely and I think I can guess quite accurately where the anterior commissure must be. I've marked the inner and outer edges (partially hidden in the pictures) of the vocal folds in the pictures below. The web should be between those points. Let's see if I'm right in a few weeks...

         

Its a pity that there was no follow up of the Belgium surgery beyond the 1 month mark. This was otherwise a very well documented thread. Either way I hope that things turned out well for Evenstar.

[Kate_H]

STILL ALIVE.



Hoarse, but recovering here \o/

[NIP]

STILL ALIVE.



Hoarse, but recovering here \o/

I hope you're well on you way to recovery now! I wondered whether we could have a little update on your progress?

[Donna Elvira]

Hi all,
I had a consultation with a speech pathologist today before starting a voice reeducation programme with a speech therapist. Among others, she looked at my vocal cords and checked my base frequency (about 190Hz). My  vocal cords are very long but thin and she immediately suggested I look at having them shortened, saying that with vocal cords like that, I should get a very good result from such surgery.  Interestingly, she spontaneously recommending Dr Remacle to whom I sent an e-mail before finding this thread here. I may well be one of the next people to make the trip his way as the convenience of getting this done in Europe versus Korea looks very attractive to me.   

Evenstar, if you are still looking in here, I would be very interested in knowing how things have evolved for you since the summer.
Hugs
Donna

[anjaq]

Yes indeed it would be great to get updates on this.

Donna, if your base frequency is 190 Hz - why on earth would you want to have your vocal chords shortened? Do you want to sound like a teenage girl - 190 Hz is what I aim for AFTER VFS