Clinical
Esophageal speech is a skill that can help patients to communicate after a laryngectomy, the most common surgery used for the treatment of laryngeal cancer. In the operation, the larynx and the vocal cords are removed completely. After this, the end of the trachea is sewn onto the edge of an opening cut out at the lower part of the neck, creating a breathing hole similar to that used by a whale. This hole is called a tracheostoma and permits the patient to breathe through it after the operation.
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