Self-Care and Clinical Management of Persons With Laryngectomy During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review
Support Care in Cancer
Varghese, J. J., Aithal, V. U., et al. (2021).
Support Care in Cancer, 29, 7183–7194.
This narrative review investigates the recommendations for self-care and clinical management of individuals with laryngectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (India)
December 2019 to November 2020
Guidelines; letters to editors; reviews; consensus statements
20
<div>Although adults with laryngectomy generally accepted telerehabilitation, reported barriers included communication breakdowns due to the poor quality of alaryngeal speech via phone and the inability to use the necessary gadgets.</div>
<p>Most of the included studies suggested that the use of food thickeners, voice prosthesis plugs, or catheters could be used to temporarily manage tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis leakage in patients with laryngectomy during the COVID pandemic. However, the long-term use of catheters was not advised because the placement of the catheter could interfere with stoma care and the use of the Heat Moisture Exchange device.</p>
<div>Individuals with laryngectomy can be considered as vulnerable to COVID-19 and more susceptible to transmitting the virus to others. The following strategies were indicated as necessary preventative measures in individuals with laryngectomy:</div>
<ul>
<li>using hand hygiene measures;</li>
<li>observing physical distancing;</li>
<li>wearing a mask over the mouth and nose;</li>
<li>using a Heat Moisture Exchange device over the stoma;</li>
<li>covering the stoma with a surgical mask; and</li>
<li>adhering to regular maintenance and cleaning of devices (e.g., voice prosthesis, laryngectomy bib).</li>
</ul>
