[Voice prosthesis in patients after total laryngectomy].

The aim of the study is to present the role of voice prostheses in the voice rehabilitation in patients who underwent total laryngectomy. 7 patients with laryngeal cancer were included in the study. All patients are males aged 41-72 years (mean age 58) treated in the Department of Otolaryngology Medical Academy of Bialystok from November 2001 to March 2002. The voice prostheses were placed during the total laryngectomy in 5 patients. In 2 patients the voice prosthesis was placed in the period of 1.5 to 2 years after laryngectomy. The voice prostheses type Provox 2 were used in all cases. In 2 cases the prosthesis was in size of 8 mm, in 5 cases--10 mm. The control group included 7 patients after total laryngectomy without placing the voice prostheses. These patients developed oesophageal speech. All patients underwent phoniatric measurements during 12 to 30 days after the surgical procedure. The data indicate that patients who developed oesophageal speech, their voice in the range of subjective measurements is understandable but it is necessary to emphasize that the voice is harsh, low without fluency of the speech result from the intervals essential to accumulate the air in the oesophagus. The patients with voice prostheses have dull voice but more fluent and louder. The clarity of the voice of the patients with voice prostheses is significantly higher. According to the objective measurements all parameters are better in the oesophageal speech.