Post Surgery Procedure
Because swelling in the surgical site will prevent normal breathing through the mouth or nose for a few days, a tracheostomy is performed – a small hole is made in the windpipe, allowing insertion of a small tube below the vocal cords.

This tracheostomy tube provides a stable airway and reduces damage to the vocal cords. It usually comes out during the first week. Drain tubes are placed under the skin within the surgical area to drain away fluid that results from swelling. They come out in three or four days. The feeding tube is a simple, hollow tube placed down the patient’s nose and into the stomach, allowing for feeding during the time the throat is healing.

How long a patient needs this tube depends on how much of the throat is resected and which specific surgical procedure was performed. In cases requiring long periods of healing, the feeding tube in the nose is replaced by another tube, inserted through the belly wall just above the navel. This reversible procedure allows the patient to hide the tube under his clothing.