M.D., Ph.D., Prof.
born on January 4th 1930,
in Tokyo Japan.
Professor Emeritus at Kyoto University
Board-certified Bronchoesophagologist
After graduation from Kyoto University,Medical School in 1954, and finishing one year internship, I entered ENT Department at Kyoto University to start medical training . Besides clinical training, I finished dissertation for Doctor of Medical Science „Regulatory Mechanism of Voice Production „and 2 years later I continued laryngeal research, working with Dr. Hans von Leden at UCLA for two years from 1962, especially aerodynamic aspect of voice production, including esophageal speech.
Returning to the ENT Department at Kyoto University as an assistant professor, I expanded my specialty to any voice-related field. Increasing number of patients with cleft lip and palate visiting our department for treatment, gradually led me to get more and more involved in maxillo-facial plastic surgery. My career as a plastic surgeon originates in these clinical experiences.
In 1973, I received a hint of laryngeal framework surgery from a patient, a Karate player,who complained of a deformity of the larynx with a normal voice. After a series of experiments to study the possibility of changing the position and tension of the vocal fold by planned surgical deformation of the laryngeal framework were conducted, the laryngeal framework surgery including arytenoid adduction has clinically been established, which has now gained world-wide popularity.They are indicated for a variety of laryngeal diseases, which include vocal fold paralysis, atrophy, spasmodic dysphonia, and various pitch problems.
In 1977, I delivered a plenary report on the functional surgery of the larynx at the annual meeting of Japan Society of Otorhinolaryngology. In the same year, I moved from ENT to Department of Plastic Surgery newly founded at Kyoto University. Thanks to generous cooperation from many ENT former colleagues, I could continue my work on laryngeal framework surgery after having moved to plastic surgery as well. I summarized my laryngeal works in a book,“Phonosurgery : theory and practice“. From 1981 to 1993 while serving as a Professor and Chief at the Department of Plastic Surgery, I also published a number of papers, besides laryngeal works, regarding cleft lip and palate surgery, velopharyngeal incompetence, microtia, blood circulation of a skin flap and artificial skin.
I served as a President for,just to mention a few, Japan Society of Plastic Surgery, Japanese Cleft Palate Association, Japan Society of Logopedics and Phoniatrics, and International Association of Phonosurgeons. Many awards were conferred me for the works on the larynx or cleft palate, such as Gould and Gutzmann Awards. Other than the domestic societies, I have a honor of joining the American Societies as a corresponding member such as American Society of Bronchoesophagology, American Society of Laryngology, and American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, an Honorable Member of Hungarian Sociey of Logopedics and Phoniatrics.
In 1998,I was bestowed an honorable membership of the American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.aka The TRIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Last year, I was awarded 1999 Acta Prize for the Phonosurgery Work.
After retirement from Kyoto University 8 years ago, my current clinical interest and activity at my private clinic are focused on laryngeal framework surgery, and maxillofacial plastic surgery, especially developing new surgeries for Spasmodic Dysphonia, raising the vocal pitch and rejuvenation of the aged voice. I have been engaged in numerous International Workshops on Phonosurgery such as in Amsterdam, Bombay, Sao Paulo, and at Mayo Clinic.
Bibliography
1. Isshiki N,: Regulatory Mechanism of the Pitch and Volume of Voice. Otolaryngol. Zibirinsho(PracticaOtologica, Kyoto). 1959;52:1065-1094.
2. Isshiki N,: Regulatory Mechanism of Voice Intensity Variation. J. Speech Hearing Res. 1964;7:17-29.
3. Isshiki N.,Okamura H.,Tanabe M.,and Morimoto M.,: Differential Diagnosis of Hoarseness. Folia phoniat. 1969;21:9-19.
4.Isshiki N, Morita H, Okamura H, Hiramoto M. Thyroplasty as a new phonosurgical technique.Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh)1974;78: 451-457
5. Isshiki N, Okamura H, Ishikawa T.: Thyroplasty type I (lateral compression) for dysphonia due to vocal cord paralysis or atrophy. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1975; 80: 465-473.
6. Isshiki N, Tanabe M, Ishizaka K, Broad D. Clinical significance of asymmetrical vocal cord tension. Annals of Otol. Rhinol.and Laryng. 1977;86:58-66.
7. Isshiki N, Tanabe M, Sawada M. Arytenoid Adduction for Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis. Archives of Otolaryng. 1978;104:555-558.
8. Isshiki N. Recent advances in phonosurgery. Folia Phoniatr 1980; 32: 119- 54.
9. Isshiki N.,: Clinical Significance of a Vocal Efficiency Index. Vocal Fold Physiology edited by Titze and Scherer. 1983;230-238.
10. Isshiki N. Phonosugery: theory and practice 1989; Springer-Verlag Tokyo
11.Isshiki,N.,Taira,T.,Nose,K., Kojima,H.,: Surgical treatment of laryngeal web with mucosa graft. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngo1991; l.100:95-100
12. Isshiki N, Shoji K, Kojima H, Hirano S. Vocal fold atrophy and its surgical treatment. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1996;105:182-88.
13. Isshiki N.: Mechanical and Dynamic Aspects of Voice Production as Related to Voice Therapy and Phonosurgery . J of Voice 1998 ; 12: 125-37.
14. Isshiki N. Vocal Mechanics as the basis for phonosurgery. Laryngoscope 1998;108: 1761~66.
15. Isshiki N, Tsuji DH, Yamamoto Y, and Iizuka Y,: Midline Lateralization Thyroplasty for Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia. Annals of Otol. Rhinol. and Laryng., 2000;109:187-193.
Nobuhiko Isshiki
E-Mail isshiki@ky.xaxon.ne.jp
URL http://www.ky.xaxon.ne.jp/~isshiki/
ENGLISH <S.D.>
http://www.ky.xaxon.ne.jp/~isshiki/spasmodic-dysphonia.html
Minako Isshiki
E-Mail isshiki@ky.xaxon.ne.jp
URL http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zk9m-itsk/