Brief overview in the field of laryngeal rehabilitation

The larynx is an important organ in humans. When it is removed, most often following cancer, the patient’s life is seriously damaged. They undergo a major mutilation with significant physical and psychological sequelae, leading to a serious deterioration of their social life. For more than a century, researchers have focused on the rehabilitation of the voice, which is now acquired by different solutions [1]. All these devices have been erroneously called artificial larynx, even though they did not rehabilitate all the functions of the larynx, but only the voice. In particular, the tracheostomy which is performed after the removal of the larynx remains in place. This is unfortunately the most disabling part for the patient when he found his voice. This article presents the main solutions to avoid tracheostomy, and in particular the possibility of an active implantable artificial larynx.

Keywords: Total laryngectomy; Airway reconstruction; Artificial larynx; Active implantable artificial larynx