Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Laryngectomies may be total or partial. In a total laryngectomy, the entire larynx is removed. If the cancer has spread to other surrounding structures in the neck, such as the lymph nodes, they are removed at the same time. If the tumor is small,...
a partial laryngectomy is performed, by which only a part of the larynx, usually one vocal chord, is removed. Partial laryngectomies are also often performed in conjunction with other cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
During a laryngectomy, the surgeon removes the larynx through an incision in the neck. The procedure also requires the surgeon to perform a tracheotomy, because air can no longer flow into the lungs. He makes an artificial opening called a stoma in the front of the neck. The upper portion of the trachea is brought to the stoma and secured, making a permanent alternate way for air to get to the lungs. The connection between the throat and the esophagus is not normally affected, so after healing, the person whose larynx has been removed (called a laryngectomee) can eat normally.
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The lungs are comprised of thousands of alveoli or air sacs. These structures are only one or two cells thick at places but they are able to separate blood and inhaled air. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged across this thin membrane, as the narrated animation explains.
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Other Information
Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose, and esophagus. The laryngectomee breathes through an opening in the neck, a stoma. It is done in cases of laryngeal cancer. However, many laryngeal cancer cases are now treated only with radiation and chemotherapy or other laser procedures, and laryngectomy is performed when those treatments fail to conserve the larynx.
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The development of the operative plan for a type of complex procedure requires weeks of planning and extensive study of the recipient patient’s clinical exam, radiological studies, and prior operative history.
-Dr. Daniel Alam
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