What are the postoperative care methods for laryngeal cancer patients

During hospitalization, medical staff will provide patients with a series of detailed postoperative care so that patients can be discharged smoothly. However, laryngeal cancer patients will also face a series of problems after discharge. Therefore, it is also very important to strengthen psychological care, self-care and family care for patients after discharge, which can eliminate patients' nervousness and anxiety and help them adapt to a new lifestyle after surgery as soon as possible. While improving the quality of life of patients, it can also prolong their survival time.

The patient's home care faces the following problems:

Respiratory care:

After total laryngectomy, patients need to wear a tube for a long time. After discharge, patients and their families should master the basic knowledge of tracheal tube care, cleaning and disinfection, such as checking the tightness of the laces that fix the tracheal tube every day, disinfecting the skin around the tube regularly and changing the dressing of the tracheal tube mouth in time. Remove the inner tube of the tracheal tube regularly every week, clean it thoroughly, especially the inside of the tube, which needs to be cleaned with a brush to keep the inner tube unobstructed. After cleaning, boil it for disinfection. After disinfection, wait for the tube to cool down and then put it back into the patient's throat.

Because breathing through a tracheal tube changes the original breathing method, the humidification and temperature regulation process of the upper respiratory tract is changed abruptly. The patient will lose a lot of water and temperature during breathing, which will cause the mucosa in the trachea and bronchus to dry and form dry scabs on the surface. Therefore, patients who have just been discharged from the hospital can maintain a suitable temperature (preferably 18-22°C) and humidity in the room. Cover the tracheal tube port with saline wet gauze to increase the humidity of the inhaled gas and prevent the inhalation of foreign matter. Regularly drip medicine into the trachea with saline to achieve the purpose of intermittent humidification in the trachea. If there is sputum in the trachea, the number of daily tracheal instillations and the amount of each instillation can be increased as appropriate, and antibiotics and expectorants can be instilled into the trachea at the same time. After the patient gradually adapts to the surrounding air temperature and humidity over time, the intratracheal instillation and the humidification and insulation of the room can be gradually reduced. Even if the patient has adapted to the changes in the surrounding environment, try to avoid crowded places to prevent cross infection.

Diet care

Since the epiglottis has been removed in patients who have undergone vertical partial laryngectomy, if they are not careful when swallowing, food will fall into the trachea and cause severe choking and coughing. Therefore, patients after laryngeal cancer surgery must undergo a long period of dietary training, eat small amounts and multiple times from small mouthfuls, and gradually switch from solid food to liquid food. Only after gradually adapting can they achieve a normal diet.

Postoperative pronunciation guidance:

Postoperative aphonia is an important factor in patients' anxiety and loneliness, so it is important to build confidence in patients and guide them to repeatedly practice pronunciation without a larynx. Start practicing with monosyllabic words, then pronounce overlapping sounds, such as "一一, 二二", etc., and gradually increase to disyllabic words, words, phrases, etc., and focus on daily language to increase patients' learning interest. Patients can be guided to learn to use the esophagus to store air, so that air passes through the esophageal entrance, and pronunciation is completed by the coordinated action of inhalation and exhalation and the pressure in the lungs. Patients can also be helped to choose an artificial larynx or use pronunciation tools. Provide patients with more opportunities to exercise and enhance their confidence in communicating with others.