Laryngectomy is the removal of all or part of the voice box (larynx). The voice box is in the neck and contains the vocal cords. It also helps you swallow and breathe. It is taken out to treat cancer of the larynx.
You will be asleep during the surgery. The doctor will take out all or part of the voice box through a cut in the front of your neck. This cut is called an incision. How much of the voice box the doctor takes out depends on how large the cancer is and how far it has spread. You will have stitches or staples in the incision.
Your ability to talk after surgery depends on how much of the voice box is removed. If all of it is removed, you will not be able to talk. In this case, the doctor will also make a hole in your neck to help you breathe. This is called a tracheotomy. The hole is called a stoma.
You will probably have a tube in your neck to drain fluid from the incision for 1 to 4 days after surgery. The stitches or staples will be taken out 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. The scar will fade over time. For a week or more after surgery you will need to get food through a tube. The tube goes into your nose and down your throat to your stomach. Your throat will heal in 2 to 3 weeks.
You can go home 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You will probably be able to go back to work 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. It may take 3 to 4 months to feel normal again. Speech therapy will help you learn new ways to communicate if you can't talk normally after surgery. Most people can do their normal activities after a laryngectomy.
Losing your ability to talk can be very upsetting and hard to accept. It can affect your self-image and lead to depression. If you need help after surgery, you may want to see a counselor.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
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Laryngectomy is the removal of all or part of the voice box (larynx). The voice box is in the neck and contains the vocal cords. It also helps you swallow and breathe.
After surgery, the area around the cut (incision) may be swollen or bruised. It may also feel numb. This is common and may continue for a few weeks. You will probably need to take pain medicine for a few weeks.
You may have a drain tube in your neck for 1 to 4 days after your surgery. You may have trouble swallowing for several days after you go home. Also, you may have numbness in your neck and weakness in your face. Most of this goes away in 3 to 4 months.
For 2 to 3 weeks, you will either get food through a tube that goes into your nose and down your throat to your stomach, or through a tube that goes directly into your stomach. Your doctor will give you detailed information on what and how you can eat using the feeding tube.
Your ability to talk will depend on how much of your voice box was removed. If all of it was removed, you will need to learn new ways to communicate. If only a part of your voice box was removed, you may be able to talk after your throat has healed. Losing your ability to talk can be very upsetting and hard to accept. It can affect your self-image and lead to depression. If you need help after surgery, you may want to consult with a counselor.
If all of your voice box was removed, you will have a hole in your neck to help you breathe. This is called a stoma. A doctor or nurse will teach you how to care for the stoma.
Most people go back to work or to their normal routine 6 to 8 weeks after going home. You will need more time to get better if you must have more treatment for cancer, such as chemotherapy.
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