The early attempts at this procedure, including the second ever performed by Bernhard Heine in 1874 and subsequent operations by Hermann Maas and others, often resulted in the patient's death due to complications or recurrence of disease within months.

It wasn't until Enrico Bottini in Italy achieved the first long-term survival of a laryngectomy patient that the potential for lasting success was realized.

Misdiagnosed initially in 1887 by Morell Mackenzie as benign, Frederick's condition was later identified as cancerous, leading to his death after a tracheostomy.

[14] To determine the severity/spread of the laryngeal cancer and the level of vocal fold function, indirect laryngoscopies using mirrors, endoscopies (rigid or flexible) and/or stroboscopies may be performed.

Acoustic observations can also be utilized, where certain laryngeal cancer locations (e.g. at the level of the glottis) can cause an individual's voice to sound hoarse.

The most frequent postoperative complication is pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), characterized by an abnormal opening between the pharynx and the trachea or the skin resulting in the leaking of saliva outside of the throat.

[17][18] This complication, which requires feeding to be completed via nasogastric tube, increases morbidity, length of hospitalization, and level of discomfort, and may delay rehabilitation.

These factors include anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, poor nutrition, hepatic and renal dysfunction, preoperative tracheostomy, smoking, alcohol use, older age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and localization and stage of cancer.

[17] Other complications such as wound infection, dehiscence and necrosis, bleeding, pharyngeal and stomal stenosis, and dysphagia have also been reported in fewer cases.

[20] The loss of voice and of normal and efficient verbal communication is a negative consequence associated with this type of surgery and can have significant impacts on the quality of life of these individuals.

[23][24] Pre and post-operative sessions with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) are often part of the treatment plan for people undergoing a total laryngectomy.

[25] Pre-operative sessions would likely involve counselling on the function of the larynx, the options for post-op voice restoration, and managing expectations for outcomes and rehabilitation.

[32] Laryngectomy patients do not aspirate due to the structural changes in the larynx, but they may experience difficulty swallowing solid food.

[33] In order to prevent the development of pharyngocutaneous fistula, it is common practice to reintroduce oral feeding as of the seventh to tenth day post-surgery, although the ideal timeline remains controversial.

[34] Pharyngocutaneous fistula typically develops before the reintroduction of oral feeding, as the pH level and presence of amylase in saliva is more harmful to tissues than other liquids or food.

[36] People having undergone total laryngectomy have been found to be more prone to depression and anxiety, and often experience a decrease in the quality of their social life and physical health.

[1] Dysphagia poses challenges in eating and social involvement, often causing patients to experience increased levels of distress.

[1] The diet limitations imposed by dysphagia can negatively impact a patient's quality of life, as it can be perceived as a form of participation restriction.

[1] Therefore, it is important to consider dysphagia in short and long-term outcomes post-laryngectomy in order for patients to uphold a higher quality of life.

[39] Lastly, it is much more difficult for those using alaryngeal speech to vary their pitch,[42] which particularly affects the social functioning of those speaking a tonal language.