Multicenter study assessing effects of heat and moisture exchanger use on respiratory symptoms and voice quality in laryngectomized individuals

• Published in: Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery 2003-12, Vol.129 (6), p.705-712
• Main Authors: Ackerstaff, Annemieke H, Fuller, D, Irvin, M, MacCracken, E, Gaziano, J, Stachowiak, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0194-5998; 1097-6817
• DOI: 10.1016/S0194-5998(03)01595-X

A multicenter study based in the United States assessed the heat-moisture exchanger effect on respiratory symptoms and “voice quality” of laryngectomees. The study group consisted of 81 consecutive laryngectomees (62 men and 19 women; mean age, 66 years; age range, 45 to 89 years), with a median follow-up of 3.5 years (range, 0.5 to 24 years). A structured questionnaire was used to assess 3-month results, and tally sheets recorded the frequency of cough-expectoration during first and last trial weeks. Compliance was 73% (n = 59); decrease in coughing, 68%; sputum production, 73%; forced expectoration, 60%; and need for stoma cleaning, 52% of these 59 patients. Regarding daily cough-expectoration frequency, a statistically significant decrease ( P < 0.0001) was found between the first and last trial weeks. Regarding influence on voice quality, 46% of regular users reported improvement in intelligibility, 30% in loudness, 37% in fluency, and 40% in telephone intelligibility. Fourteen patients (19%) reported skin irritation, with discontinuation of 7 patients. The observed decrease in pulmonary symptoms and improvement in voice quality confirm earlier reports from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Spain indicating improvement in postlaryngectomy quality of life.