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Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Learning Modern Laryngeal Surgery in a Dissection Laboratory
Published on: March 18, 2020
Total Laryngectomy for the Hospital Medicine Provider
John Ceremsak1, David Zimmer1, Rahul Sharma1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Abstract:
Total laryngectomy (TL) is a common surgical procedure that is performed for patients with advanced laryngeal cancer, recurrent laryngeal cancer, or laryngeal dysfunction after radiation. TL entails the removal of the entirety of a patient's larynx and reconstruction by creating a tracheal stoma in the anterior neck, permanently separating a patient's gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. In the immediate postoperative setting, care must be taken to ensure the stoma is not occluded by crusting or thick secretions. Various airway prostheses, including heat moisture exchangers, can be used to prevent dehydration of a laryngectomy patient's lower respiratory tract.
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