Virtual Laryngectomy Club: A Reality

ABSTRACT

Total laryngectomy remains an essential treatment for locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma. However, it involves lifestyle changes for the patient, such as the inability to communicate verbally, breathing or aesthetic changes, which affect their quality of life and require comprehensive rehabilitation. Speech rehabilitation is of utmost importance for these patients. Hence to provide comprehensive rehabilitation after total laryngectomy we have been running a successful laryngectomee club at our institute for the benefit of our patients. But when the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic, many of our patients couldn't make their regular followup visits. We have successfully conducted the first ever online virtual meeting for our laryngectomee club members via video conferencing service.