Surgical voice restoration: the Sunderland experience.

Surgical voice restoration following tracheo-oesophageal puncture is a well established procedure and the principal means of speech rehabilitation following laryngectomy and more recently laryngopharyngectomy. A valve prosthesis was used in 65 patients, 50 of whom underwent insertion at the time of surgery. Of the 65, 49 were men, 16 women and 15 have since died; the median length of follow-up of valves in situ has been 24.7 months (range 2-46 months). Of the 50 living patients 80% were using the valve at last examination. Complications arose in 52% but were generally minor and easily overcome.