[Voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy: A chronological review of medical history]

Abstract

Background: Loss of voice is the consequence of laryngectomy most disturbing for the patient. As such, the notion of performing a laryngectomy has always been directly linked to the possibility of voice rehabilitation. The multitude of different technical and surgical approaches pays testimony to the problems associated with rehabilitation of speech and swallowing after laryngectomy.

Methods: Scientific online search engines and library facilities were used to search for recent publications and historical medical documents. Important works were identified and summarized.

Results: Four different categories of voice rehabilitation can be identified: external (electrical) devices, esophageal speech, and tracheoesophageal shunts either with or without fistula valves/voice prosthesis. During the past three decades, fistula valves/voice prostheses have become the state of the art, with some patients still using esophageal speech or external devices as a back-up method in case of prosthesis failure.

Keywords: Esophageal speech; History of medicine; Speech; Swallowing; Voice prothesis.