title: Comparison of quality of life between voice rehabilitated and nonrehabilitated laryngectomies in a developing world community.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Quality of life (QOL) scores were significantly higher among voice rehabilitated patients although this was accompanied by significant immediate and long-term morbidity and a cost implication for the patient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We present a prospective and cross-over study of overall QOL and morbidity related to voice restoration in laryngectomees.
  
  
  METHODS
  The EORTC QOL questionnaire (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N-35) was distributed among all the consenting patients alive after laryngectomy from January 2008 to October 2009. In patients who had secondary voice rehabilitation, post-rehabilitation QOL scores were collected separately. Comparison of QOL between the non-rehabilitated and rehabilitated cohorts was done and a cross-over study of pre-rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation scores were done in the second cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 113 patients were studied. QOL scores were significantly higher among voice rehabilitated patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. bipintv@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Bipin Thomas
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.forename: Aleyamma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sebastian
authors.forename: Elizabeth Mathew
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Iype
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vijay
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*