Laryngectomy and flying

[Peek a Boo]

so dh [a pilot] was talking w/ another pilot in passing on a recent trip. This other pilot mentions his co-pilot had a laryngectomy. DH didn't think too much of it --if this guy's flying, he must've passed an FAA medical.

But as he continued thinking about it, he's wondering more and more HOW this guy could pass an FAA medical to pilot a jet. besides hampering clear communication in a crisis situation, would there be issues of depressurization and oxygen masks? Neither of us is very familiar w/ laryngectomies, and a google search/ wiki don't really address it from a pilot perspective :-) Are there any concerns for a *passenger* flying w/ a laryngectomy? [emergency situations?]

dh is waiting for a call back from his medical examiner --we're both impatiently curious......

thanks--

[Karin]

Does everyone who has one lose their voice? Remember that movie with Wm Hurt called The Doctor or something like that? About the surgeon with cancer. He had one of those and ended up still able to speak--based on a true story, but Hollywoodized, of course. But in the movie he wasn't sure if he'd still be able to speak until he'd done some post-surgical healing. I would think it would depend, in part, on how much of the larynx was removed.

btw, that movie is a real tear jerker--would all surgeons end up becoming so sensitive.

[jacqui in mo]

I guess they would have to have some means of holding an oxygen mask over their stoma. If the person had good enough communication to use in normal flight, I would imagine it should be enough for emergencies too, depending on the person & depending on if they were using esophageal speech or a hand held voice device. I would imagine it would be very hard to be able to be a pilot if you had to use the hand held voice device.

Yes, there are cases of partial laryngectomys, but usually when someone says they have a laryngectomy I would think it mean total one. With a partial I don't think the person is left with a stoma & would still breath normally.

All this based on my Speech therapy studies but I never really worked directly with laryngectomies & their speech. I can't do the esophageal speech thing. (although I think my 5 yo could;)) There could be advances that I am unaware of too since I've been out of the loop for a while.

Jacqui

[Peek a Boo]

thanks gals--

apparently this pilot could still speak, but it was very raspy. dh's concern about the oxygen mask is that if there's not a solid seal then it is almost useless-- that's why many pilots don't have facial hair very close to their mouth. he doesn't see how it could seal correctly when it is designed so specifically to fit around a mouth. we're still waiting to hear from a medical examiner though.

yeah...it is kinda interesting, esp when i don't know anything about the process! :)