Nursing methods for tracheotomy in patients with laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is a common type of cancer. Like other cancers, laryngeal cancer can be treated by surgery to remove cancer cells. The recurrence rate after laryngeal cancer surgery is still very high, so attention should be paid to the postoperative care of laryngeal cancer to reduce the recurrence rate as much as possible.

1. Precautions for using stoma

Learn to care for your stoma. Before leaving the hospital, you should learn how to change and clean your endotracheal tube, suction your sputum, and care for your stoma. If you keep the area around your stoma clean, your skin rarely gets irritated.

Use a stoma mask. Most people continue to use a tracheostomy mask after treatment. These masks, such as scarves, ties, and specially made bibs, are both useful and aesthetically pleasing. They keep the inside and outside of the tube moist and filter the inhaled air.

2. Pay attention to the living environment

When the air is too dry, such as in a heated room in winter, the trachea or lungs may produce more phlegm. The skin around the stoma may also become dry and bleed easily. Using an air humidifier at home or in the office can reduce these problems.

3. Give up water sports

Laryngectomy patients cannot control their breathing after surgery, so they should give up sports such as swimming and water boarding because water can enter the airway or lungs through the stoma, which is very dangerous.

4. Skin care

The skin on the neck may feel numb for several months after the operation. To avoid scratches, male patients should use an electric shaver when shaving until the skin on the neck feels normal again.