PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AFTER TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY

Laryngeal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the upper respiratory tract, and total laryngectomy remains the main method of treatment for its advanced stages. Although this procedure allows for the cure of cancer, it leaves the patient with numerous multidimensional difficulties that disrupt daily functioning and significantly reduce quality of life. These consequences involve both the physical sphere – loss of verbal communication ability, breathing disorders, coughing, dysphagia, and olfactory impairment – and the psychological and social spheres, associated with feelings of isolation, reduced self-esteem, and emotional disturbances. An important factor facilitating patients’ adaptation to life after larynx removal is not only support from relatives but also comprehensive preoperative and postoperative patient education. Providing detailed information about anatomical and physiological changes, rehabilitation methods, and prosthesis care help reduce anxiety and enhances treatment adherence. The most effective method of voice rehabilitation, which also provides the best quality of life, is the use of tracheoesophageal voice prostheses, allowing for a rapid restoration of speech ability and improved psychosocial well-being.