Airway Obstructions in Laryngectomized Patients: A Spirometric Investigation

Abstract

It is obvious that the mechanics of breathing will be involved in laryngectomized patients. Probably the changes in the respiratory tract after laryngectomy will lead to reduced pulmonary ventilation. The ventilatory capacity in 14 laryngectomized patients has been measured by means of dynamic spirometry, using the vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV_1.0) and the maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) as parameters. Spirometric investigation has also been performed in a healthy female, and the measurements were repeated after breathing through an artificial stenosis of different degrees to demonstrate the change of the spirometric pattern following stenosis of the trachea. All the patients showed reduced pulmonary ventilation caused by airway obstructions, and the spirometric patterns were mostly in accordance with stenosis of the trachea. It was demonstrated that a good correlation exists between the impairment of the pulmonary ventilation and the tendency of a shrinking tracheostoma.