Regarding any surgery - don't get any when there is an acceptable
alternative. Even though risks from surgery are lower than a generation
ago, if you do not get the surgery then there is zero *surgical* risk.
Regarding anesthesia - discuss your singing and concern for your voice
with the anesthesiologist. If your anesthesiologist is competent, s/he
will know how to protect your vocal folds. Anesthesiologists are loathe
to have any injury to a patient, so any reasonable one will care.
Generally, however, the risk of intubation is relatively low in all but
head and neck procedures since in the latter, the surgeon may tend to
move the head around causing the tube to bump the vocal apparatus and
bruise it.
Regarding female voice changes after hysterectomy - if the ovaries
remain and are functioning, there is no change. It is anecdotal that
women enter menopause sooner after simple hysterectomy. It may happen
sometimes but is not routine. After menopause, surgical or natural,
estrogen levels diminish. What happens next varies from woman to woman
depending on her own balance of androgen (male hormone) analogs and
precursors and the number of androgen receptors on her vocal apparatus.
Some women do just fine, lose minimal range or color and continue to
sing without issue. Some women lose a lot of range. It *appears* that
hormone replacement can help with this, but again, it depends. The
issue is so complex, that it is impossible to predict what will happen
for any one particular woman. Thus, my first recommendation.
Caveat cantor
John
John Messmer, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine
Penn State Hershey Medical Center
> -----Original Message-----
> From: didigirl1@j... [mailto: > Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 4:40 PM
> To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [vocalist] Re: Female voice changes and surgery
>
>
> Hi - I think I've seen this subject covered in this group but
> I have several questions and I am hoping that you are the
> ones that can help me. I am planning on having surgery -
> hysterectomy - within a few months. I have been putting it
> off - especially because I have heard through different
> sources that it could and will affect my voice
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