Atos Medical’s US Clinical Education team develops programs that address the real-world clinical decisions and challenges faced by healthcare professionals caring for people after laryngectomy. One important area is understanding how surgical technique, anatomical changes, and thoughtful rehabilitation planning influence successful tracheoesophageal (TE) voicing and improve overall functional outcomes. Because post-laryngectomy rehabilitation requires coordinated decision-making across surgical, communication, pulmonary, swallowing, and psychosocial needs, strong collaboration between physicians and speech-language pathologists is essential to supporting each patient’s pre- and post-surgical journey which strongly influences patients’ long-term quality of life.
About the webinar
In this webinar, Dr. David Cognetti and Jennifer Schottler, MS, CCC-SLP join Tricia Harris, MS, CCC-SLP and Barbara Messing, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S to discuss how collaboration between head and neck surgeons and speech-language pathologists can strengthen clinical decision-making, support patient-centered care, and improve outcomes across the laryngectomy continuum.
The conversation emphasizes practical, team-based strategies that SLPs can use when counseling patients, discussing TE puncture candidacy, communicating concerns to surgeons, and managing complications collaboratively.
This webinar explores surgical and clinical decision-making that supports successful tracheoesophageal (TE) voicing after laryngectomy. Presenters discuss how precise stomal creation, TE puncture candidacy, patient readiness, postoperative management, and long-term follow-up influence communication outcomes. The webinar also highlights how SLPs and physicians can collaborate when barriers arise, including adherence challenges, institutional limitations, party wall separation, tracheitis, and dysphagia-related concerns.
Key topics and learner objectives
- You will leave with practical communication strategies, candidacy considerations, and case-based examples that can help strengthen collaboration with physician partners and support more coordinated laryngectomy care.
- Apply evidence-based counseling and rehabilitation strategies to improve functional communication outcomes and quality of life for patients after laryngectomy.
- Discuss complex surgical decision-making processes and their impact on TE voice restoration, including anatomical and specific considerations post-laryngectomy.
- Describe the benefits of optimal stomal creation for effective Heat and Moisture Exchanger (HME) attachment using adhesives to support successful tracheoesophageal (TE) voicing.
- Discuss strategies to foster effective collaboration between Speech Pathologists and Physicians to improve functional results.
Summary
Collaboration between head and neck surgeons and speech-language pathologists is essential to improving tracheoesophageal (TE) voicing outcomes and supporting patient-centered care across the laryngectomy continuum. This conversation highlights how surgical and clinical decision-making—including precise stomal creation, candidacy for TE puncture, postoperative management, and long-term follow-up—can influence successful TE voicing, while also addressing potential complications such as tracheitis and dysphagia. Participants will gain practical, evidence-based counseling strategies, case examples, and collaborative approaches that can help clinicians strengthen communication outcomes and improve quality of life for patients after laryngectomy.
Watch the webinar
This webinar is available now, on-demand for 0.15 ASHA CEUs. Access it using the button below.
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