At the beginning of 2007, Chai Guangdong went to Zhuzhou, Hunan, to learn how to use the esophagus to produce sound. During an interview, while repairing Haier air conditioners in Beijing, Chai Guangdong kept hiccuping. Seeing the reporter's confusion, he explained, "Learning esophageal speech involves mastering the basic skill of hiccuping."
It is understood that esophageal speech involves introducing air into the esophagus and using chest pressure to force the air out from the esophagus, much like hiccuping, which then impacts the upper part of the esophagus or the pharyngeal mucosa to resonate with the tongue, teeth, and nasal passages to produce sound.
Chai Guangdong, 67 years old, is one of these students and also a core volunteer and teacher. In March 2006, Chai Guangdong underwent a total laryngectomy due to laryngeal cancer.
Hu Guohua, director of the Department of Otolaryngology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, introduced that from 2003 to 2009, the hospital treated more than 80 cases of laryngeal cancer each year, with about 20% refusing surgery out of fear of becoming mute. Most of these patients may lose their lives due to cancer cell metastasis. "Esophageal speech can solve the patient's concerns, and we believe more patients will not hesitate to choose surgery."
By reporter Wang Deli
According to news reports, yesterday was the official establishment day of the Speech Rehabilitation Center for Laryngectomized Patients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, marking the end of the absence of such rehabilitation centers in western China. On this day, eight patients in our city who had undergone laryngectomies due to laryngeal cancer also graduated as the first batch of trainees.
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