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Your RecoveryLaryngectomy is the removal of all or part of the voice box (larynx). The voice box is in the neck and contains the vocal cords. It also helps you swallow and breathe. After surgery, the area around the cut (incision) may be swollen or bruised. It may also feel numb. This is common and may continue for a few weeks. You will probably need to take pain medicine for a few weeks. You may have a drain tube in your neck for 1 to 4 days after your surgery. You may have trouble swallowing for several days after you go home. Also, you may have numbness in your neck and weakness in your face. Most of this goes away in 3 to 4 months. For 2 to 3 weeks, you will either get food through a tube that goes into your nose and down your throat to your stomach, or through a tube that goes directly into your stomach. Your doctor will give you detailed information on what and how you can eat using the feeding tube. Your ability to talk will depend on how much of your voice box was removed. If all of it was removed, you will need to learn new ways to communicate. If only a part of your voice box was removed, you may be able to talk after your throat has healed. Losing your ability to talk can be very upsetting and hard to accept. It can affect your self-image and lead to depression. If you need help after surgery, you may want to consult with a counsellor. If all of your voice box was removed, you will have a hole in your neck to help you breathe. This is called a stoma. A doctor or nurse will teach you how to care for the stoma. Most people go back to work or to their normal routine 6 to 8 weeks after going home. You will need more time to get better if you must have more treatment for cancer, such as chemotherapy. This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible. How can you care for yourself at home?Activity
Diet
Medicines
Incision care
Other instructions
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. When should you call for help?Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
Call your doctor or nurse advice line now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for any changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse advice line if:
Where can you learn more?Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd Enter I060 in the search box to learn more about "Laryngectomy: What to Expect at Home". Which nursing action is the highest priority when caring for a patient with laryngeal trauma?Management of patients with laryngeal injuries consists of assessing the airway and monitoring vital signs (including respiratory status and pulse oximetry) every 15 to 30 minutes. Maintaining a patent airway is a priority.
Which is considered the priority in treatment planning for a patient after laryngectomy for treatment of neck cancer?A priority for patients who have undergone a total laryngectomy is for them to learn how to care for their new airway. The lower airway is no longer connected to the upper airway, so patients must pay critical attention their only source of breathing—the stoma.
Which are two major risk factors for head and neck cancer especially when in combination?Alcohol and tobacco use (including secondhand smoke and smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) are the two most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, especially cancers of the oral cavity, hypopharynx, and voice box (3–7).
Which surgical procedure involves the removal of the entire larynx in patients with laryngeal cancer?A laryngectomy is surgical removal of the larynx, also called the voice box.
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