Research Summary
Kim Webster's research interests include:
- Describing characteristics and appropriate dysphagia therapy following supracricoid laryngectomy and other partial laryngectomy procedures.
- Developing intelligibility scales for laryngectomees using esophageal, electrolaryngeal and T-E speech
- Examining efficacy of oral-motor and swallowing exercises for improved speech and swallowing in head and neck cancer patients undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments
- Determining patient compliance factors in completing speech and swallowing exercises and if technology can facilitate compliance
- Studying the effects of radiation therapy on oral aperture as well as determining normal oral aperture ranges in healthy adults
- Looking at factors which improve velopharyngeal insufficiency in children and adults with congenital or acquired hypernasality
- Studying the effects of tDCS in patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)
Selected Publications
View all on PubMed
Haisfield-Wolfe ME, Brown C, Richardson M, Webster K. Variations in symptom severity patterns among oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer outpatients during radiotherapy treatment: A pilot study, Cancer Nurs.
Starmer, H, Tippett, D, Webster, K, Quon, H, Jones, B, Hardy, S, & Gourin, CG. Swallowing Outcomes in patients with oropharyngeal cancer undergoing organ preservation treatment, Head Neck. doi: 10.1002/hed.23465.
Starmer, H, Agrawal, N, Koch, W, Richmon, R, Webster, K, Gourin, C. Does Prosthesis Diameter Matter? The Relationship Between Voice Prosthesis Diameter and Complications, OHNS, 144 (5), 740-746.
Webster, KT, Samlan, RA, Jones, B, Bunton, K, Tufano, RP. Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy: Swallowing, Voice and Speech Outcomes, Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, 2010 Jan; 119(1):10-16.