A surgeon has shared the incredible results of voice-changing surgery, transforming the life of a man who has been continually mistaken for a woman.
Dr Kursat Yelken, a professor of ear, nose and throat diseases, has been changing people’s lives for the past 15 years, altering the pitch of their voices permanently.
Seeing roughly 100 to 150 patients a year, he performs procedures to both deepen or heighten their tone by relaxing or tightening their vocal cords.
Sharing a video of his latest procedure on Instagram, the doctor has gained over 4,500 views, showing the results of voice-deepening surgery.
“This guy is 26 years old and his voice frequency is somewhere between a male and female vocal range, close to the male upper limit,” Kursat told http://NeedToKnow.co.uk .
“His main concern was occasionally to be perceived as a female on the phone.
“During surgery, I tried several different voice tones and finalised the procedure when we found a satisfying deepness level.”
In the video, the patient can be seen talking to the camera before the surgery.
During the clip, he says “I’m here for voice masculinisation surgery so people don’t mistake me for a woman.”
Switching to post-surgery he shows off his deeper voice, with an immediate change noticeable only hours after the surgery.
To perform the surgery, the Turkish doctor makes a small incision along the lower part of the neck.
He added: “A diamond-shaped cartilage island is made on the thyroid cartilage and pushed back, which allows vocal cords to become relaxed and produce a deeper voice.
“The decrease in the voice pitch is directly related to the amount of cartilage relaxation.
“I talk with the patient during surgery and listen to their voice.
“The patient can experience a change in their voice during the surgery.
“It is possible to go back and forth and choose the best tone for the patient.
“The procedure is completed when the right pitch of the voice is decided upon by both parties.”
Travelling from the US, the patient was incredibly happy with the result of his surgery, seeing an immediate change in the pitch of his voice.
Kursat added: “This patient had a dramatic change in his voice after surgery.
“When we made a follow-up video consultation a couple of months after, he said his whole life, including social and work life, has been changed.”
