Happy New year to every one at Mouth cancer Foundation.There is talk of martyn now being fitted with a HME system, sounds very technical, and also the word base plate has been used, is there anyone who uses this,and if so can you give me any tips, information.

Hello Juliee

"In most patients with advanced or recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer, total laryngectomy is indicated. This means the loss of three main functions: phonation; respiration; and the prevention of aspiration during deglutition. Laryngectomy patients have various options to restore phonation: an oesophageal voice; an electrolaryngeal voice; or a tracheo-oesophageal voice. In the last case
a silicone rubber shunt valve is placed in the tracheo-oesophageal wall and phonation is generated when exhaled air is forced through the oesophagus and neopharynx. This method is widely applied in Western Europe."

"The high cost of shunt valves is a drawback to their use worldwide. To enable hands-free speech, different types of tracheostoma valve have been developed. These valves are fixed to the skin or to the tracheostoma by means of an intra-tracheal device. An HME filter is used to protect the airway and maintain physiological balance. HME filters perform three important functions of the nose that are bypassed after laryngectomy: the inhaled air is warmed, moisturized and filtered. "

More in:
Prostheses for voice rehabilitation after laryngectomy: Chapter 1
Prostheses for voice rehabilitation after laryngectomy: Chapter 2

The above two chapters from a dissertation should explain it all!
See also: Heat and Moisture Exchange: Laryngectomy, Issues and Answers

Best wishes
Vinod

Just to cheer you up, had dinner with riend Kate last night, she had Trachy op 10 years ago and is in fine form. She has to blow her nose through her throat.We did have an in depth discussion last night and she told me at her worst she went down to almost 5 stone, also she said she had a brilliant speech therapist. One of her main problems was in the begining as people are not very understanding.
She is older than I am and has more energy and looks great.Big Bear healing Hugs to you all

Hello Garance and a happy new year, belatedly. Glad your friend Kate is doing so well. Like her my weight was just on five st. after my op nearly 2 years ago (can't believe how time has pseed) and is now just under 7st. Glory be. But ye Gods what a struggle it has been. My best salvation has been using a crock pot for hours and hours, thus being able to savour mixtures of herbs and spices with fish, and meat, whgich I thought I'd never taste again.
Having said that though I continued supplementing until quite recently with Complan and Ensure etc.
Unfortunately I don't need a speech therapist as, with my stomach lifts, I can't use any other speech than electrolarynx but am pretty fluent with that now. Beginning not to notice people's startled expreression on nearing the Dalek-y voice for the first time! Children love it though and my grandchildrens' friends think their granny is from Outer Space.
You sound fine and dandy. Are you having any treatment now, or is it check-ups mainly?
Bye for now.
Rosalie

Juliee--I don't know if you and Martyn are interested in going, but the International Associaiton of Laryngectomees are having their annual conference on July 11 weekend at a lovely place called Burlington, Vermont. It is on Lake Champlain, near the Canadian border.
So many experts on every kind of speakibng device will be there. Hopefully I will too, God willing, if the US customs don't think my electrolarynx is a secret weapon of mass destruction!
Regards Rosalie