Laryngectomy

The surgical removal of the larynx (voice box), typically performed as treatment for advanced laryngeal or throat cancer. A total laryngectomy results in the permanent loss of the natural voice, as the vocal folds that produce speech are removed. The airway is also permanently rerouted so that the person breathes through a stoma (opening) in the neck rather than through the nose and mouth. People who have undergone laryngectomy (laryngectomees) must use alternative methods to produce voice, including voice prostheses, esophageal speech, or electrolarynx devices.