Voice Clinic

The Sydney Voice Clinic was established for the diagnosis and treatment of voice and swallowing disorders like:

• Hoarseness
• Loss of voice
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Chronic sore throat

Consultations take place in Associate Professor Thomas Havas’ Bondi Junction clinic.   

Acoustic analysis is undertaken using the latest computerised “Kay” voice analysis package. This provides a visual representation of the dynamics of voice in terms of any abnormal features their probable aetiology and guides with appropriate treatment.

The Clinic was the first to introduce flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. This involves having a small flexible telescoping camera in the nostril whilst the patient swallows a variety of substances of differing textures to ascertain why swallowing disorders take place and how best to treat them.

Conjoined clinics are regularly held with Jocelyn Priestley  (our speech pathologist) who is an acknowledged expert in the treatment of professional voice and hyperfunctional voice disorders.

If appropriate treatment is speech therapy, patients are enormously advantaged by the fact that Jocelyn is on hand, has seen their vocal pathology and can tailor specific expert therapy to their individual problem.      

If appropriate treatment is surgical, the substantial expertise that A/Prof Havas has is afforded to the patient in terms of a large variety of microlayrngeal surgeries including the application of the latest laser technologies which are particularly applicable to treating both benign lesions of the larynx and early laryngeal cancers.

The Clinic has extensive experience in treating early laryngeal cancers by the application of lasers without the need for radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or loss of the voice box.

The results that have been obtained both in terms of cancer treatment and preservation of voice are very encouraging and compare favourably with the best national and international results.

Flexible Fiberoptic Telescopic Examination is undertaken on every patient and the images are projected on to a large screen for the patient to see first hand what their larynx and surrounding hypo pharynx looks like. If any pathology is present this can be highlighted for the patient’s better understanding of the condition.

Common conditions and procedures include:

• Stroboscopic Examination
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Vocal Nodules
• Vocal Polyps
• Laryngeal Papilloma