UCI Voice & Swallowing Center

At UCI Voice and Swallowing Center, we combine the expertise of our team of health care professionals to find the cause and develop an integrated plan to treat your voice and swallowing problem.

Common Symptoms of Laryngeal (Voice Box) Problems

• Hoarseness
• Raspy voice quality
• Loss of volume or projection of voice
• Loss of vocal range
• Lack of clarity in upper notes
• Pitch changes
• Increased effort with speaking or singing
• Voice strain
• Pain in the throat or neck, pain with speaking
• Coughing or throat clearing after sips of liquid
• Wet gurgly vocal quality after swallowing
• Feeling of foods getting “stuck” when swallowing
• Having to swallow multiple times to clear small amounts of food
• Difficulty chewing or manipulating food
• Leakage around or through Tracheoesophageal prosthesis

Diagnostic Services
Comprehensive evaluation is completed initially by a team including an Otolaryngologist and a Speech-Language Pathologist.

• Voice Evaluation
• Voice Recording and Analysis
• Videostroboscopy
• Flexible endoscopy
• Evaluation for decannulation of tracheostomies
• Esophageal Insufflation Testing to determine candidacy for TE Prosthesis for total laryngectomees

Once completed, all results are reviewed by team members, and an individualized method of treatment is decided upon. Referral to additional specialists may be required to gain a more complete picture of the underlying cause of the patient’s dysphonia (voice disorder) or dysphagia (swallowing problem).

Management of Voice Disorders

• Laryngeal Reinnervation, Thyroplasty, Arytenoid Adduction, Injection Laryngoplasty are specialized procedures used in the management of vocal fold paralysis. Click here for more information on vocal cord paralysis.
• Permanent and temporary injectable substances are used for vocal fold bowing and age-related vocal changes (Completed in the outpatient voice lab, or operating room)
• Laryngeal Reconstruction is often necessary for laryngeal or tracheal damage.
• Laryngeal Microsurgery is done for removal of vocal fold lesions, including polyps, papillomas, and cysts.
• Electromyography (EMG) guided Botox injections of the laryngeal muscles are performed to treat Spasmodic Dysphonia and laryngeal dystonia.
• Tracheoesophageal Prothesis (TEP) Management and training with hands free devices. Training in the use of electrolarynges.
• Voice Therapy- A period of behavioral voice therapy is recommended for patients with select voice disorders to improve vocal quality and eliminate or reduce vocal pathology. Complete voice evaluation by an Otolaryngologist and Speech Language Pathologist is required prior to initiation of voice therapy at UCI.

 

To Make an Appointment with our voice specialist, Dr. Crumley, Please Call 714-456-7017 or click here to request an appointment via the web.

SWALLOWING

Diagnostic Services
A primary examination is completed to determine signs and symptoms of dysphagia (swallowing difficulty). More in-depth studies are often performed to evaluate contributing problems. With state-of the art equipment, UCI Medical Center provides thorough diagnostic evaluations including:

• Flexible Fiberoptic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)
• Modified Barium Swallow Studies (MBS)
• Oropharyngeal and esophageal manometric studies
• Prolonged pH-metry
• Radionuclide Scanning techniques

Management of Swallowing disorders

• Esophageal dilation for esophageal stricture s/p radiation therapy.
• Swallowing Therapy: Electrical Stimulation of Swallowing muscles, Oral motor and pharyngeal strengthening exercises, thermal stimulation, training in compensatory strategies to aid during recovery of swallowing function, diet and texture modifications.
• Therabite system: treatment of trismus post-radiation therapy and surgical management
  Biofeedback using nasoendoscopy

To Make an Appointment with our voice and swallowing specialist, Dr. Crumley, Please Call 714-456-7017 or click here to request an appointment via the web.

Voice and Swallowing Center Team

Roger Crumley, M.D., MBA
Dr. Crumley completed Otolaryngology residency training at the University of Iowa in 1975 and then joined the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco.  He then came to U.C. Irvine as Departmental Chair in 1987. His research in laryngeal nerve disorders earned him the Harris P Mosher Award from the Triological Society in 1981.  In 1989, he co-founded the Neurolaryngology Study Group. Dr. Crumley was elected President of the American Laryngological Association (2008-2009). His interests include voice disorders, laryngeal (vocal cord) paralysis, swallowing problems, and related problems of the pharynx and larynx.

Specialists: William Armstrong, M.D
Dr. Armstrong completed residency training at the University of Southern California, and then did a one year head and neck surgery/laryngology fellowship at Vanderbilt University. He then was recruited to UCI where he developed a large clinical practice in head and neck oncologic surgery, laryngology, and related disorders. He has also become experienced and skilled in diagnostic ultrasound, endoscopic Zenker’s diverticulectomy, and other advanced surgical techniques. Dr. Armstrong is currently interim Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery . His interests include head and neck cancer, ultrasound, swallowing disorders, vocal cord problems, and laryngology.

Payal Mehta, M.S., CCC-SLP
Payal received her MS in Speech Pathology in 2001 from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. She has been a supervisor at UC Irvine Medical Center since 2005. Payal is trained/certified in endoscopy/videostroboscopy, Vital Stim, LSVT, FEES, Lindamood Bell, and TEP management.

Mary Clumeck, M.S., CCC-SLP
Mary received an MS in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, in 1985. She has worked as UC Irvine Medical Center since 1992. Mary is certified in TEP management. Clinical interests include working with patients post head and neck cancer, specifically laryngectomees with tracheoesophageal punctures (TEP).

Carrie Smith, M.A., CCC-SLP
Carrie received a Masters of Arts in Speech Pathology from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, in 2006. She has worked at UC Irvine Medical Center since 2008. Carrie’s clinical interests include working with patients with voice and swallowing disorders and patient post head and neck cancer. Carrie is trained/certified in endoscopy/videostroboscopy, FEES, and TEP management.

 

To Make an Appointment with our voice specialist, Dr. Crumley, Please Call 714-456-7017 or click here to request an appointment via the web.