Abstract
The usefulness of a voice prosthesis inserted as a tracheo esophageal (TE) shunt was evaluated for patients who underwent a total laryngectomy. Five patients who used a TE shunt after total laryngectomy and one patient who underwent a hemi-laryngectomy were enrolled in this study. Four out of 5 cases demonstrated fair (10 >) Maximum Phonation Time (MPT), and these 4 cases scored 32/32 in a Communication ADL Test (CADL). One case demonstrated an MPT of less than 3 seconds and a score of 25/32 in a CADL. In the hemi-laryngectomy case, the patient demonstrated a relatively short MPT (5 seconds) and scored 30/32 in a CADL ; however, this patient complained of more fatigue during CADL testing. The TE shunt thus considered to be a practical and useful voice prosthesis for patients who undergo a total laryngectomy.
