Post laryngectomy speech rehabilitation outcome in elderly patients

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2013 May;270(6):1879-84. doi: 10.1007/s00405-013-2430-3. Epub 2013 Mar 22.

Abstract

The aim of our work has been to evaluate the different options of tracheoesophageal voice rehabilitation in over 70-year-old patients, who had undergone laryngectomy, assessing advantages and drawbacks of this method of vocal recovery. A retrospective study has been carried out. This has included 40 subjects, all aged more than 70 years old, who have been referred to tracheoesophageal voice rehabilitation. It has been realized a phonatory fistula between trachea and esophagus with prosthesis positioning by means of a primary puncture in 18 cases and it has been realized a secondary puncture in 22 cases. The results gathered in these patients were compared with data obtained from a group made of 39 patients, less than 70 years of age that therefore represented our control group. In primary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP), the short-term success was 67 %, while in the 22 cases who underwent secondary TEP, the short-term success was 64 %. After 2 years from TEP, the long-term success was 82.5 %. In the control group, the short-term success was 65 % in primary TEP and 73 % in secondary TEP. After 2 years from TEP, the long-term success was 77 %. The evaluation of the results has shown the absence of a statistically significant difference both as regards complications incidence, during and after surgery (p > 0.9) and as regards overall success ratio of prosthesis implants between the two groups (p > 0.7). The possibilities of tracheoesophageal recovery of elderly patients do not show dissimilarities in comparison with the results in younger subjects.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Laryngectomy / rehabilitation*
  • Larynx, Artificial
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / rehabilitation
  • Punctures
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Speech Therapy*
  • Speech, Alaryngeal*
  • Surgical Flaps
  • Treatment Outcome