title: Quality of life and deglutition after total laryngectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total laryngectomy creates deglutition disorders and causes a decrease in quality of life Aim: To describe the impact of swallowing and quality of life of patients after total laryngectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case series study. Patients completed a Swallowing and Quality of Life questionnaire composed of 44 questions assessing 11 domains related to quality of life (burden, eating duration, eating desire, frequency of symptoms, food selection, communication, fear, mental health, social functioning, sleep, and fatigue). The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and variability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample comprised 15 patients who underwent total laryngectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. Of these, 66.7% classified their health as good and 73% reported no restrictions on food consistency. The domains "communication" and "fear" represented severe impact and "eating duration" represented moderate impact on quality of life. The items with lower scores were: longer time to eat than others (domain "eating duration"), cough and cough to remove the liquid or food of the mouth when they are stopped (domain "symptom frequency"), difficulties in understanding (domain "communication") and fear of choking and having pneumonia (domain "fear").
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After total laryngectomy, patients report that swallowing issues have moderate to severe impact in "communication," "fear," and "eating duration" domains.
authors.affiliation: Master in Health Sciences - Federal University of Pernambuco. Professor - Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Department - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.
authors.forename: Leandro de Araújo
authors.initials: Lde A
authors.lastname: Pernambuco
authors.affiliation: Graduated in Speech, Language and Hearing Science - Federal University of Pernambuco.Speech and Language Pathologist.
authors.forename: Jabson Herber Profiro de
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Specialist in Orofacial Miology. Speech and Language Pathologist.
authors.forename: Renata Milena Freitas Lima
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Régis
authors.affiliation: Graduated in Speech, Language and Hearing Science - Federal University of Pernambuco.Speech and Language Pathologist.
authors.forename: Leilane Maria de
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Specialist in Dysphagia - Federal Council of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. Speech and Language Pathologist - Cancer Hospital of Pernambuco.
authors.forename: Ana Maria Bezerra de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Master of Science in Adolescent Health - Pernambuco University. Speech and Language Pathologist. Institute of Human Resources of Pernambuco State.
authors.forename: Patrícia Maria Mendes
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Balata
authors.affiliation: Ph.D in Nutrition - Federal University of Pernambuco. Professor - Estacio Recife.
authors.forename: Daniele Andrade da
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Ph.D in Nutrition - Federal University of Pernambuco. Professor - Speech, Language and Hearing Science Department - Federal University of Pernambuco.
authors.forename: Hilton Justino da
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Silva
keywords: deglutition; deglutition disorders; laryngeal neoplasms; laryngectomy; quality of life