Speech rehabilitation after laryngectomy

Laryngectomy is the mode of treatment for the patients with advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Various alaryngeal speech modes are available so that no laryngectomee should be without a means of communication, There are a variety of artificial devices including electronic devices that produce their own battery driven sound. Alternatively, the patient can learn a new form of voicing using a muscular segment of the upper esophagus as a source of sound (esophageal speech). Surgically. a puncture can be created through the esophageal wall and a prosthesis placed in it to divert pulmonary air into the esophagus and through the same muscular segment to produce sound. Many factors influence the choise of which alternative to use with a particular patient. In Slovenia, esophageal speech is the most frequently used alaryngeal speech mode.