This can make you weak and make it harder to finish treatment. Some people with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer may need to have a feeding tube usually called a gastrostomy tube or G-tube , put in place before treatment.
A G-tube is put through the skin and muscle of your abdomen belly right into your stomach. The tube is often put in place with the help of a flexible, lighted instrument endoscope passed down your mouth and into the stomach. This is done while you are sedated asleep. When it's placed through an upper endoscopy , it's called a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy , or PEG tube. Another option is to put the tube in during an operation. Once in place, liquid nutrition and medicines can be put right into the stomach through the tube.
Often, the gastrostomy tube is only needed for a short time to help you get enough nutrition during cancer treatment. The tube is often removed once you can swallow again after treatment.
It's important to keep swallowing even when you're getting most of your nutrition through a G tube. This helps keep those muscles active and gives you a better chance of going back to swallowing normally after treatment is complete. All surgery carries some risks, including blood clots , infections , complications from anesthesia, and pneumonia.
These risks are generally low but are higher with more complicated operations. Rarely, some people do not survive the surgery. Patients who have a laryngectomy or pharyngectomy typically lose the ability to speak normally.
Some people will need a tracheostomy after surgery. Less extensive operations can also affect speech in some cases. Surgeries that involve the throat or voice box can lead to a gradual narrowing stenosis of the throat or larynx. They are pitch and volume.
The vocal cords are particularly talented at altering these characteristics, which in turn affects how far our sound will travel, and the emotion that will be carried with it. The vocal cords are quite good at putting out a strong signal if desired. A well-produced sound can carry information quite a distance.
I can think of a baby in a church, my daughter screaming or an opera singer still heard clearly in the cheap, upper balcony seats.
The vocal cords are quite talented at demonstrating emotion. Think about sighs, whines, giggles, laughs, growls and all the other sounds we make that are not words but strongly convey emotion. I can be digging in the garden when a small gust sets the wind chimes ringing.
When I hear the chimes, Mary is still talking to me. I am reminded of how much she loved to talk. The five pipes are tuned to different pitches, calling out to me with a touch of emotion, reminding me of how, when Mary lost her vocal cords, she recovered her ability to speak, but she still lost the ability to communicate her emotions easily.
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 counsellor. 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. This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. Call anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:. Watch closely for any changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:.
Author: Healthwise Staff. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled.
Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Topic Contents Your Recovery How can you care for yourself at home? When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Recovery Laryngectomy is the removal of all or part of the voice box larynx.
How can you care for yourself at home? Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover. Sleep with your head up by using three or four pillows. You can also try to sleep with your head up in a reclining chair. Do not sleep on your stomach.
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