Laryngectomy
Surgical removal of the larynx, which includes the VOCAL CORDS and other structures that produce sound for the function of speech. Surgeons perform the majority of laryngectomies to treat CANCER due to cigarette smoking. Laryngectomy results in the loss of the ability to speak.
In laryngectomy, the surgeon makes an incision in the neck and removes the structures of the larynx, typically including the vocal cords and upper portion of the TRACHEA as well as surrounding MUSCLE tissue to obtain a cancer-free margin. The ESOPHAGUS, which carries food from the MOUTH to the STOMACH, remains intact. In the OPERATION’s final stage the surgeon creates a permanent opening through the neck into the trachea, called a stoma, for BREATHING.
The operation takes five to eight hours for the surgeon to perform, and most people stay in the hospital for 10 to 14 days following the surgery. Rehabilitation begins immediately and includes instruction to care for the stoma as well as swallowing exercises. Many people also start to learn ESOPHAGEAL SPEECH, though speech therapy is most extensive during outpatient rehabilitation following discharge from the hospital. The surgical wound heals completely in about six to eight weeks.
Occasionally doctors diagnose the cancer early enough to permit a partial laryngectomy, in which the surgeon removes only the tumor and tissues in proximity to it. With partial laryngectomy the airway and often part of the vocal structures remain intact, so breathing and speech are normal after recovery, though the quality and volume of the voice may change.
In laryngectomy, the surgeon makes an incision in the neck and removes the structures of the larynx, typically including the vocal cords and upper portion of the TRACHEA as well as surrounding MUSCLE tissue to obtain a cancer-free margin. The ESOPHAGUS, which carries food from the MOUTH to the STOMACH, remains intact. In the OPERATION’s final stage the surgeon creates a permanent opening through the neck into the trachea, called a stoma, for BREATHING.
The operation takes five to eight hours for the surgeon to perform, and most people stay in the hospital for 10 to 14 days following the surgery. Rehabilitation begins immediately and includes instruction to care for the stoma as well as swallowing exercises. Many people also start to learn ESOPHAGEAL SPEECH, though speech therapy is most extensive during outpatient rehabilitation following discharge from the hospital. The surgical wound heals completely in about six to eight weeks.
Occasionally doctors diagnose the cancer early enough to permit a partial laryngectomy, in which the surgeon removes only the tumor and tissues in proximity to it. With partial laryngectomy the airway and often part of the vocal structures remain intact, so breathing and speech are normal after recovery, though the quality and volume of the voice may change.
Tags: cigarette smoking, function of speech, LARYNGECTOMY, surgical removal of the larynx, treat cancer, VOCAL CORDS
Posted in Health and Wellness
