2021 Volume 62 Issue 2 Pages 134-139
We conducted a questionnaire survey on postoperative effects on the socio-economic status of 243 subjects who received total laryngectomy between January 2003 and June 2018 at the University of Yamanashi Hospital and other hospitals. A total of 140 responses became available for statistical analysis. Almost all the patients use tracheoesophageal (TE) shunt speech after laryngectomy. Ninety percent of the subjects have experienced inconveniences and speak less frequently in postoperative daily life. About half of the subjects changed, rotated or lost (retired from) their job and their income decreased, clearly indicating that they were put in a disadvantageous position socio-economically. These results are similar to those found by a similar survey Hirano et al. conducted forty years ago which targeted laryngectomized subjects who used esophageal speech or artificial larynx for voice restoration. In the future, we need to continue to focus on postoperative effects on the socio-economic status of laryngectomized subjects and devote attention to improving their postoperative quality of life, in addition to conducting research on new therapies and voice restoration techniques.
