Clinical Experiences of People With a Laryngectomy During the SARS COVID-19 Pandemic. 2021

Jeff Searl, and Ann Kearney, and Kathryn Genoa, and Philip C Doyle
Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing.

Purpose This study described the clinical experiences of patients with a total laryngectomy (TL) during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified changes in communication, tracheostoma care, and heat-moisture exchange (HME) use that were recommended or self-implemented. Method An online survey addressing the study aims was completed by 173 people with a TL who live in the United States. The survey was open from July 5 to August 10, 2020. Results In-person clinic visits, appointment cancellations, and contact from their speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were reported by 42%, 19%, and 54% of the TL respondents, respectively. At clinic visits, 78% were required to wear a mask over their nose/mouth, and 73% were required to wear a mask over their tracheostoma. Masks, gloves, and face shields worn by the SLP at these visits were reported by 84%, 82%, and 70% of the TL patients, respectively. Alaryngeal communication changes were recommended by the SLP for 7%-18% of TL patients, depending on their method of communication, whereas 43%-45% implemented changes on their own. Changes in tracheostoma care and HME use were recommended by the SLP for 27% and 21% of the TL respondents, respectively, whereas 54% and 47% made changes on their own. Conclusions Individuals with a TL will require in-person care even during a pandemic, as reflected in this study. Many had not been contacted by their SLP or otolaryngologist about TL guidelines that were becoming available. Notably, larger percentages of TL patients reported self-initiated changes to their communication, tracheostoma care, and HME use because of the pandemic than their SLP had advised. The types of communication changes varied in part, depending on the method of alaryngeal speech a respondent used. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16807270.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007825 Laryngectomy Total or partial excision of the larynx. Laryngectomies
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000086382 COVID-19 A viral disorder generally characterized by high FEVER; COUGH; DYSPNEA; CHILLS; PERSISTENT TREMOR; MUSCLE PAIN; HEADACHE; SORE THROAT; a new loss of taste and/or smell (see AGEUSIA and ANOSMIA) and other symptoms of a VIRAL PNEUMONIA. In severe cases, a myriad of coagulopathy associated symptoms often correlating with COVID-19 severity is seen (e.g., BLOOD COAGULATION; THROMBOSIS; ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME; SEIZURES; HEART ATTACK; STROKE; multiple CEREBRAL INFARCTIONS; KIDNEY FAILURE; catastrophic ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODY SYNDROME and/or DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION). In younger patients, rare inflammatory syndromes are sometimes associated with COVID-19 (e.g., atypical KAWASAKI SYNDROME; TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME; pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease; and CYTOKINE STORM SYNDROME). A coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the genus BETACORONAVIRUS is the causative agent. 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease,2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection,2019-nCoV Disease,2019-nCoV Infection,COVID-19 Pandemic,COVID-19 Pandemics,COVID-19 Virus Disease,COVID-19 Virus Infection,Coronavirus Disease 2019,Coronavirus Disease-19,SARS Coronavirus 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infection,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection,COVID19,2019 nCoV Disease,2019 nCoV Infection,2019-nCoV Diseases,2019-nCoV Infections,COVID 19,COVID 19 Pandemic,COVID 19 Virus Disease,COVID 19 Virus Infection,COVID-19 Virus Diseases,COVID-19 Virus Infections,Coronavirus Disease 19,Disease 2019, Coronavirus,Disease, 2019-nCoV,Disease, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, 2019-nCoV,Infection, COVID-19 Virus,Infection, SARS-CoV-2,Pandemic, COVID-19,SARS CoV 2 Infection,SARS-CoV-2 Infections,Virus Disease, COVID-19,Virus Infection, COVID-19
D000086402 SARS-CoV-2 A species of BETACORONAVIRUS causing atypical respiratory disease (COVID-19) in humans. The organism was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. The natural host is the Chinese intermediate horseshoe bat, RHINOLOPHUS affinis. 2019 Novel Coronavirus,COVID-19 Virus,COVID19 Virus,Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus,SARS Coronavirus 2,SARS-CoV-2 Virus,Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2,Wuhan Coronavirus,Wuhan Seafood Market Pneumonia Virus,2019-nCoV,2019 Novel Coronaviruses,COVID 19 Virus,COVID-19 Viruses,COVID19 Viruses,Coronavirus 2, SARS,Coronavirus, 2019 Novel,Coronavirus, Wuhan,Novel Coronavirus, 2019,SARS CoV 2 Virus,SARS-CoV-2 Viruses,Virus, COVID-19,Virus, COVID19,Virus, SARS-CoV-2,Viruses, COVID19
D013066 Speech-Language Pathology The study of speech or language disorders and their diagnosis and correction. Language Pathology,Speech Pathology,Pathology, Language,Pathology, Speech,Pathology, Speech-Language,Pathology, Speech Language,Speech Language Pathology
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D058873 Pandemics Epidemics of infectious disease that have spread to many countries, often more than one continent, and usually affecting a large number of people. Pandemic

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