A clinical survey of laryngectomy patients to detect presence of the false perception of an intact larynx or the "phantom larynx" phenomenon

 

PDF Download Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Hypothesis: The Phantom larynx phenomenon (the false perception on an intact larynx in a laryngectomee) exists and is an important issue in the post-laryngectomy rehabilitation of such patients. Objectives: The phantom limb phenomenon has been described after amputation of a limb or other parts of the body. Amputation or removal of any part is usually associated with a global feeling that the missing part is still present. We undertook this study to identify whether a phantom larynx phenomenon actually exists in laryngectomees. We also aimed to elicit its association with the duration following surgery. Patients and Methods: We did a clinical survey of 66 post-laryngectomy patients (30-80 years of age). Twenty-two of these patients were assessed within 6 months following surgery, whereas 44 patients were assessed at least 6 months later. A questionnaire containing 11 questions was served to these laryngectomees pertaining to false perception of persistent laryngeal functions and adaptation to the post-laryngectomy status. Results: All patients showed an evidence of a phantom larynx phenomenon. In the majority of these patients, it persisted even after 6 months following surgery. There was no significant difference in the two groups (less than or more than 6 months) except for one question pertaining to occlusion of stoma for speech (77% vs. 29%). False perception of nasal breathing (59% and 43%) and olfactory sensation (63% in both groups) were the most common. Conclusion: Phantom larynx phenomenon following laryngectomy exists and may cause anxiety and poor rehabilitation among patients. Education and rehabilitation with regards to such a phenomenon is therefore needed in all patients.

Publication History

Article published online:
20 July 2021

© 2013. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India

• References

• 1 Dorpat TL. Phantom sensation of internal organs. Compr Psychiatry 1971;12:27-35.
• 2 Mal RK, Baldwin DL. Phantom larynx: A clinical survey. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2009;266:397-401.
• 3 Braz DS, Ribas MM, Dedivitis RA, Nishimoto IN, Barros AP. Quality of life and depression in patients undergoing total and partial laryngectomy. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2005;60:135-42.
• 4 Penfield W, Boldrey E. Somatic motor and sensory representation in the cerebral cortex of man as studied by electrical stimulation. Brain 1937;60:389-443.
• 5 Penfield W, Rasmussen T. The Cerebral Cortex of Man. New York: MacMillan; 1950.
• 6 Brown S, Laird AR, Pfordresher PQ, Thelen SM, Turkeltaub P, Liotti M, et al. The somatotopy of speech: Phonation and articulation in the human motor cortex. Brain Cogn 2009;70:31-41.