Swallowing training needs to be started between 15 and 20 days after horizontal hemilaryngectomy, often using acupressure and doughnut methods. Before removing the gastric tube, the patient needs to eat a small amount of pasty substances. If choking does not occur or occurs less frequently during eating, the gastric tube can be removed.
Two weeks after the operation, if there is no coughing or choking when drinking, you can consider removing the nasal feeding tube; if coughing and choking still occur after two weeks, it is considered that the laryngeal function may have recovered poorly, and in this case the nasal feeding tube must continue to be used until the patient is free of no choking or coughing condition, and then the nasal feeding tube can be removed.
Special attention should also be paid to the fact that the patient should not eat too hot, hard food, or spicy, stimulating food, and should talk less and try to stay still to ensure sufficient rest, so as to promote the recovery of dietary function. When patients swallow food or water, they can choose the appropriate position and eat slowly to minimize the choking phenomenon.
Postoperative care and functional recovery should strictly follow the doctor’s instructions, and if there is any uncertainty, the surgeon should be contacted in time to communicate.