Rehabilitation of alaryngeal aphonia.

To relieve the pathologic reactive depression which commonly follows laryngectomy, the patient's vocal facility must be restored as soon as possible.Many workers advocate esophageal phonation in rehabilitating laryngectomized patients. However, in numerous cases, acquisition of esophageal voice is impossible; in others, pressing social and economic needs require immediate restoration of speech with mechanical or electronic aids. Of several available types of artificial larynges, a new transistorized electronic device appears most reliable and aesthetically acceptable.