A term for a defect of resonance in which the speech has a muffled quality, fancifully likened to a person speaking with a hot potato in the mouth
Aetiology Space-occupying lesions, e.g., lymphoid masses, quinsy—peritonsillar—cellulitis or abscess, tumours of the vallecula between the epiglottis and the base of the tongue

References in periodicals archive

A 53-year-old woman presented with a 5-year history of a sore throat, followed by dysphonia ('hot potato voice'), dysphagia, slurred speech and finally partial compromise of the airway due to a large oropharyngeal mass.

Meningioma presenting as an oropharyngeal mass--an unusual presentation

They will have a muffled voice or "hot potato voice." Hot potato voice resembles the vocal sounds people make when they have hot food in their mouth.[4] Patients often complain of being fired and feeling lethargic due to their labored breathing.[4]

Acute Epiglottitis

The patient had a mild "hot potato voice." Tender cervical lymphadenopathy was present bilaterally.

Epiglottic abscess

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Hot Potato Voice