In 1980, Singer and Blom published the results of their study on use of the tracheoesophageal puncture prosthesis for restoration of voice after total laryngectomy. Since then, the placement of tracheoesophageal puncture prostheses has been an integral part of rehabilitation after laryngectomy. Complications of this procedure have been recognized and are usually minimal. Inadvertent aspiration of the prosthesis is rare. Usually, patients seek help immediately after the incident. We report a case of unnoticed aspiration of a Blom-Singer prosthesis in a patient with a laryngectomy.
SingerMIBlomED. An endoscopic technique for restoration of voice after laryngectomy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol1980; 89: 529–33.
2.
GluckmanJLFarrellMLKellyDH. Voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy. In: CummingsCWFredricksonJMHarkerLAKrauseCJRichardsonMASchullerDE, eds. Otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. 3rd ed.St Louis, Mo: Mosby, 1998: 2285–98.
3.
SingerMIHamakerRCBlomEDYoshidaGY. Application of the voice prosthesis during laryngectomy. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol1989; 98: 921–5.
4.
SingerMI. Voice rehabilitation after laryngectomy. In: BaileyBJJohnsonJTKohutRIPillsburyHCIIITardyMEJr, eds. Head and neck surgery-otolaryngology. 1st ed.Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott, 1993: 1361–72.
5.
NeumannASchultz-CoulonHJ. Management of complications after prosthetic voice rehabilitation [in German]. HNO2000; 48: 508–16.
6.
AndrewsJCMickelRAHansonDGMonahanGPWardPH. Major complications following tracheoesophageal puncture for voice rehabilitation. Laryngoscope1987; 97: 562–7.
7.
CultonGLGerwinJM. Current trends in laryngectomy rehabilitation: A survey of speech-language pathologists. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1998; 118: 458–63.
8.
DenholmSWFielderCP. Submental abscess: An unusual delayed complication of primary Blom-Singer valve insertion. J Laryngol Otol1994; 108: 1093–4.
