Voice restoration and clinical outcome in patients undergoing laryngectomy with voice prostheses

Since the introduction of the tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) technique for restoration of voice in 1983, we performed voice restoration using primary tracheoesophageal fistula in 83 patients undergoing laryngectomy. The success rate for voice restoration with TEF was 80.6% (good voice; 69.8%, fair voice; 10.8%). Thirty-one patients out of 51 patients who have been followed for over 3 years had 34 problems with TEF (15 granulations of TEF, 7 difficulties in insertion of voice prostheses, 4 stenoses of the tracheal stoma, 5 other reasons). However, most patients could use TEF by following appropriate procedures. Our results suggest that the Blom Singer TEF procedure is a safe, simple and effective means of alaryngeal communication.