Laryngectomy the surgical removal of the larynxand separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus. The laryngectomee breathes through an opening in the neck. It is done in cases of laryngeal cancer.However, many laryngeal cancer cases are now treated only with radiation and chemotherapy or other laser procedures, and laryngectomy is performed when those treatments fail to conserve the larynx.

Voice functions are generally replaced with a voice prosthesis placed in the tracheo-esophageal puncture created by the surgeon. The voice prosthesis vibrates the esophageal tissue in lieu of the larynx. A second method is use of an electrolarynx. An electrolarynx is an external device that is placed against the neck and creates vibration that the speaker then articulates. The sound has been characterized as mechanical and robot-like. A third method is called esophageal speech. The speaker pushes air into the esophagus and then pushes it back up, articulating speech sounds to speak.This method is time consuming and difficult to learn and is seldom used by laryngectomees.