Category
Threshold Criteria
Eligibility
| LLR ICB will fund surgery for patients who meet the following criteria: Conservative approaches should have been attempted before surgical intervention is considered. Every attempt should be made to identify and eliminate causative factors such as stress, smoking, and alcohol. Drink plenty of clear fluid to avoid a dry throat. Rest the voice completely for two to three days. The speech therapist plays an important role in the assessment and treatment of patients with voice disorders, e.g. Reinke’s oedema, vocal cord nodules and voice misuse. The therapy will take some weeks or months before any improvements are noticed and so the patient must be highly motivated. The patient has dysphonia, defined as: · Their voice has unexpectedly changed (in terms of quality, pitch, loudness or vocal effort) · The voice change has limited their ability to communicate with others · Their symptoms prevent them fulfilling vital work, domestic or carer activities. AND · The patient has completed a course of voice therapy but has a significant continuing health need. AND · Dysphonia is due to organic pathology for which surgical intervention is very likely to be effective. · Surgical management may be considered if all other conservative methods have failed and the dysphonia is continuing to cause significant issues. Note: Voice box surgery is not commissioned as part of the Gender Dysphoria Pathway. |
| ARP 103 Review Date: 2026 |
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