Patients with COVID-19 are more at risk of impaired voice function due to organic and functional damage to the larynx, due to respiratory failure, prolonged intubation and other causes of this disease. Our goal is to report on the clinical features of the course and treatment of patients with voice and respiratory problems after suffering acute COVID-19 on the first city Hospital of Astana. 

Study Design: A Series of Cases.

Patients (n=51) with laryngeal problems after recovering from COVID-19 were included after evaluation by our team of otorhinolaryngologists. The data was collected by prospective analysis of patients who had contracted COVID-19 in the first city Hospital of Astana with voice problems from 2020 to 2021.  This included information about the course of COVID-19 in patients, the initial visit to an otorhinolaryngologist-phoniatrist and subsequent treatment. 

In 2021, 7524 patients in the first city Hospital of Astana with COVID-19 were treated, of which 636 patients were treated in the intensive care unit. Of these, 369 died. About 20% of patients were removed from endotracheal ventilation after improving vital signs.  Patients who were suffering COVID-19 2 or 3 month ago (n= 51) complained of dysphonia, shortness of breath, dry cough. In one patient who was intubated, a dislocation of the scoop-shaped cartilage was detected (1.9%), about 27.8% of patients had a fungal lesion of the larynx in the form of scabs and mucormycosis and 3.9% of patients had impaired mobility of the vocal folds. Patients who did not need intubation were more likely to be treated for dysphonia of muscle tension (19.8%) and reflux laryngitis (46.6%), which developed due to the large amount of antibiotics and hormonal drugs taken. All patients received etiotropic treatment and underwent a course of voice rehabilitation.

Patients may develop serious problems with their voice and airways after suffering from COVID-19. These complications can occur in patients regardless of the severity of the viral infection. Otorhinolaryngologists will continue to play an important role in diagnosing and treating patients with complications in the larynx associated with COVID-19. 

Keywords: COVID-19; laryngeal trauma; laryngotracheal stenosis; dysphonia of muscle tension; fungal laryngitis.

Tashkent Medical Academy: Bachelor (2002-2009y)

Medical residency/ENT-DOCTOR •2009-2012y• NCJSC “ASTANA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY”

NCJSC “ASTANA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY”, Magistracy (2013-2015y)

PhD doctoral student (2019-2022y), NCJSC “ASTANA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY”

COURSE BY “Clinical Vocology by Ilter Denizoglu” Jine 2022/ Uzbekistan,Tashkent.

COURSE BY LEMG • 09/2021• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH NAMED AFTER ACADEMICIAN S. KH. AVDALBEKYAN Studied LEMG and its diagnostic and prognostic values in the diagnosis of paresis and paralysis of the larynx. Armenia, Yerevan.

Course by laryngology and SLP • 09/2017• YESON VOICE CENTER Complicated an internship project on voice diseases with professor Hyung-tae Kim, MD, PhD. Korea, Seoul. 

COURSE BY ENT• 06/2017• EAST – TALLINN CENTRAL HOSPITAL SURGICAL CLINIC Studied LEMG and methods of treatment spastic dysphonia. 

COURSE BY LARYNGOLOGY • 02/2017• KOREA, PUSAN• PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL The most useful course that helped me to grow as laryngologist 

COURSE BY PHONIATRICS AND SLP • 10/2016• SCIENTIFIC CLINICAL CENTER OF OTORYNOLARYNGOLOGY OF THE FEDERAL MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AGENCY The course was combined with the SLP, where I learned a lot of about voice disorders. Russia, Moscow. 

COURSE BY PHONIATRICS •/03/2013• RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF EAR, THROAT, NOSE AND SPEECH OF ST. PETERSBURG The course included materials on the basics of Phoniatrics. Russia, SaintPetersburg.