Laryngectomy

Overview

Laryngectomy is the surgical removal of the larynx, the structure at the top of the airway that houses the vocal cords and serves in breathing, voice production, and airway protection during swallowing. It is performed most often to treat laryngeal cancer, particularly squamous-cell carcinoma, when disease is advanced or fails other treatment, and may be total or partial. In total laryngectomy the entire larynx is removed and the trachea is brought to the skin as a permanent stoma, separating the airway from the digestive tract; in partial procedures, such as supraglottic horizontal or supracricoid partial laryngectomy, selected portions are resected to remove tumour while preserving as much function as possible. Because the natural voice depends on the larynx, total removal eliminates normal phonation, and speech rehabilitation relies on alternatives including tracheoesophageal puncture with a voice prosthesis, oesophageal speech, or an electrolarynx. Outcomes are shaped by tumour stage and biology, with markers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio studied for prognostic value, and by perioperative risk factors that influence complications and adverse events. Comprehensive care addresses swallowing, airway management, and quality of life alongside oncological control, and treatment decisions weigh the comparative functional results of partial against total approaches. The procedure illustrates the balance in head and neck surgery between complete disease clearance and preservation of voice and swallowing.

Research published in this journal

6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 6 articles above have been cited 9 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

• The Prognostic Importance of the Systemic Inflammatory Index in Pathologies of the Larynx
  2023 · kulak burun boğaz ve baş boyun cerrahisi dergisi
• The importance of systemic immune-inflammation index in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
  2022 · European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
• The importance of systemic immune-inflammation index in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
  M. Topuz et al. · 2022 · European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
• Surgeon work captured by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program across specialties
  2019 · Surgery
• Surgeon work captured by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program across specialties.
  Amber B. Tang et al. · 2019 · Surgery
• Importance Of Neutrophil/lymphocyte Ratio In Squamous-cell Carcinoma Of The Larynx
  2017 · Journal of Otolaryngology Advances
• The Comparison Of Functional Outcomes Between Supraglottic Horizontal Laryngectomy And Supracricoid Partial Laryngectomy
  2017 · Journal of Otolaryngology Advances
• Ability of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Risk Calculator to Predict Complications Following Total Laryngectomy
  2016 · JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Laryngectomy, linking to each citing work.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

Related topics