After complete removal of the larynx (laryngectomy), patients breathe through a tracheostoma in the neck. A voice prosthesis is a small silicone valve between the windpipe and the oesophagus that makes it possible to produce a voice again.
How the voice prosthesis works
When the tracheostoma is closed with a finger or a valve during exhalation, air flows through the prosthesis into the oesophagus and makes the mucosa vibrate there. The valve prevents food and drink from entering the windpipe.
Insertion, replacement and care
The prosthesis is inserted during the laryngectomy or later in a short procedure. It must be cleaned daily and replaced every few months, usually as an outpatient; speech therapy helps patients learn to speak.
