Voice feminization program

Speech therapy

 1. Speech therapy - Assessment before treatment

• Because voice frequency only accounts for about 40% of voice gender perception and more than half of men and women share identical voice frequencies, many patients manage to achieve a female voice with speech therapy only. For those who could benefit from the surgery, most of the results depend on the work in speech therapy: this approach is therefore critical to the process of feminization of the voice.
• An appointment will be scheduled with a specialized speech therapist, partner of GRS Montreal. This professional will perform a complete assessment of your voice to determine your speech therapy treatment plan.
• This plan will contain the recommendations to support you in the voice therapy that you will have to carry out.

2. Voice therapy

• Following this speech therapy assessment, an intervention plan and exercise recommendations will be pursued with our partner speech therapist or a speech therapist of your choice.
• In order for you to truly progress towards your goal, it is essential to ensure the qualification of the speech-language pathologist you will consult.

3. Speech therapy - Post-treatment assessment and qualification for surgery

• When the speech therapy is completed, the specialized speech therapist, partner of GRS Montreal, will perform a second analysis of your voice to measure the progress made. This essential report accurately determines your progress, which elements of your voice to further work on, and allows the surgeon to assess whether you may benefit from surgery. This report will be sent to the GRS Montreal surgeon who will assess your medical and speech therapy file and indicate whether a surgical consultation should be scheduled.

4. Speech therapy follow-up - After surgery

• To reduce complications, make good use of your voice, and maximize your surgical results, you will need to continue your speech therapy for a minimum of 1 year after your voice surgery.

5. Speech therapy - Final assessment

• Approximately 3 months after your surgery, you will be offered an appointment with the speech therapist to accurately measure the benefits obtained by the treatments.

 

Voice feminization surgery

Surgical techniques

The surgeon will work with you to determine which of these three techniques is best suited to your condition and your goals.

1. Polypectomy

Polypectomy is an endoscopic surgery (without skin incision) which is indicated mainly for people with a significant history of smoking. The surgery involves removing smoking-induced inflammatory tissue buildup on the vocal cords. The two vocal cords are treated separately during procedures performed a minimum of 3 months apart. It is necessary to definitively cease all exposure to smoke at least 3 months before the first procedure.

2. The crico-thyroid approximation

This surgical procedure is performed externally (incision under Adam's apple) and is indicated for people with a normal or small larynx and who may need their voice to sing. A history of smoking does not exclude candidacy for this surgery. The crico-thyroid approximation lengthens and tenses the vocal cords by moving them towards the back of the voice box. This procedure raises the frequency of the voice by increasing the tension of the vocal cords.

 

For more information, download the documents:

Voice Program Information Booklet - A (Presentation of the program and surgeries)

Voice Program Information Booklet - B (Preparation for Surgery)

 

After surgery

You must remain completely silent for 10 days following the surgery. It can take up to 12 months to learn how to use your vocal cords optimally. Speech therapy should continue during this healing period.

For more information, download the document:

Voice Program Information Booklet - C (Information and advice on postoperative care).

 

 

The surgical procedure, your stay and convalescence

Average length of the procedure	Anesthesia	Hospitalization	Recovery and sick leave	Return to physical activities and sports
60 to 90 minutes	General	1 night	4 weeks or depending on the nature of your work	6 to 8 weeks
You must be accompanied at the time of your discharge from our facilities.