Professor Stuart Winter 2021-06-27 Person 5 5 0

I was suffering with a hoarse voice which started in August 2012 when I was pregnant with my youngest. It took 8 months before I was given Lansopranole which never fixed my changed voice. I was seen at ENT in Slough and then again in Milton Keynes. I had an MRI and a biopsy but never a solution to sort out my voice which was progressively getting worse. I was seen privately and had an endoscopy but the problem was still not diagnosed. Finally I asked to be referred to Oxford where I was seen by a member of Prof. Winter's team. He had a look at my voice box using a camera through my nose and suggested another MRI. He then asked Prof Winter to look at my case. Prof. Winter was the first person to explain exactly why my voice was so badly affected and although he could not offer any guarantees, he told me my options and I opted for surgery. I have lived for 9 years with a completely different voice than my own, often unable to speak at all. Constantly having people asking me to repeat everything I say on the phone or even in person. I quit working as I was struggling to speak and it was becoming an effort. And needless to say I could not sing or do anything like that anymore and singing is one of my greatest hobbies. the first words I said after the surgery, I was still in the recovery room and was shivering, but I said "I am so cold" and then hearing my own voice, I started to cry. My voice was almost back to the way it was! I would say at least 95% back to the way it was. I really cannot thank Prof. Winter enough. It may be just a voice, but when you live without your voice, it really is depressing. You manage but finding out someone could do something to help me was just incredible. I had a large laryngocele on the left side of my voice box and I have a smaller one on the right side. Prof. Winter removed the one on the left side which was obstructing my voice box. The scar seems to run along a natural neck crease, and I am hopeful it will not be too noticeable in the future. I only had the surgery a few months ago so it is too soon to comment on that, but I really did not care about that as my greatest need was to have some voice back, never quite believing it would come back as much as it has! Could not recommend Mr. Winter and his team enough!!!