Pulmonary function pre- and post-total laryngectomy

Pulmonary function pre- and post-total laryngectomy was assessed in 16 patients without overt inspiratory stridor preoperatively. It could be shown that total laryngectomy is associated with a significant decrease in vital capacity and in an increase in inspiratory flow-volume values 9 days postoperatively. The inspiratory values tended to increase slightly over the next half year. The measured expiratory flow-volume values were preoperatively already significantly lower than the predicted values, and no significant changes could be observed immediately after the operation nor after 6 months. These alterations have to be taken into account when judging the pulmonary function after total laryngectomy.