Complications of laryngeal cancer: hoarseness

Ensuring patient comfort is an important part of daily hospital work. If patients experience pain, medication can be used to relieve it. Patients can freely discuss pain relief with their doctors. Patients cannot eat or drink for a few days after surgery. Initially, fluids are given intravenously, and the digestive tract returns to normal after one to two days, but patients still cannot swallow because the larynx has not healed yet. Fluids and nutrients can be injected into the stomach through a nasogastric tube that was reserved during the operation. When the swelling in the throat subsides and the wound gradually heals, the nasogastric tube can be removed. Swallowing is difficult at first, and patients may need to resume regular eating little by little under the guidance of a nurse or speech pathologist.

After surgery, the lungs and trachea will produce a lot of sputum. The nurse will use a suction device to suck out the sputum in the cannula through a plastic tube. Gradually, the patient will be able to cough and suction sputum without the help of the nurse. For a period of time after surgery, it is also necessary to suck out the saliva in the mouth in time, because the swelling of the throat prevents the swallowing of saliva.

Normally, air enters the airway after being humidified by the nasal and laryngeal cavities, but after surgery, air enters the trachea directly through the tracheostomy without being humidified. In the hospital, patients can use a special humidification device to humidify the air entering the stoma.

For patients who have undergone partial laryngectomy, they breathe through the tracheotomy tube for a few days after the operation. Then the tracheal tube is removed and the stoma is closed. The patient can breathe and speak like a normal person, although the sound produced is not as perfect as before.

For patients who have had a total laryngectomy, the tracheostomy is permanent. Patients breathe and cough through the tracheostomy and have to learn new ways to make sounds. The tracheal tube must be left in place for at least several weeks until the skin incision around the stoma heals. Some patients have to wear the tube for a period of time or for life. If the tracheal tube is removed, it is replaced with a tracheostomy button. After a period of time, some patients can no longer rely on the tracheal tube and tracheostomy button. Part of the neck skin may be numb after a laryngectomy because the nerves in the corresponding area are cut during the operation. If the neck lymph nodes are dissected during the operation, weakness and stiffness in the shoulders and neck may occur.