Speech rehabilitation with voice prosthesis in total laryngectomized patients

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze the efficacy and complications of the voice prosthesis application via tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) in speech rehabilitation, in patients with total laryngectomy.Methods: The voice prosthesis application via TEF was used to restore voice in 67 total laryngectomized patients, 61 being secondary and 6 being primary. In the secondary treatment group, 33 patients received Provox-1 voice prosthesis, 18 patients received VoiceMaster voice prosthesis, and 10 patients received Blom-Singer indwelling classic voice prosthesis. In all 6 patients in the primary treatment group, Provox-1 voice prothesis was used.Results: Overall, success rate is 86.5% (58 out of 67 patients). Our procedure was successful in 35 out of 39 (89.7%) patients in Provox-1 treated group, in 14 out of 18 (77.7%) patients in VoiceMaster treated group, and in 9 out of 10 (90%) patients in Blom-Singer indwelling classic treated group. Complications, such as, granulation tissue formation (8.9%), cellulitis (7.4%), leak around the prosthesis (5.9%), dislocation of the prosthesis (2.9%), embedding of prosthesis into the surrounding tissue (2.9%), tracheal aspiration of the prosthesis (1.4%) and mediastinitis (1.4%) were observed in our patients.Conclusion: The voice prosthesis application via TEF is observed to be an effective treatment for speech rehabilitation in total laryngectomized patients.

Keywords

• speech rehabilitation
• tracheoesophageal fistula
• voice prosthesis
• total laryngectomy