If all goes well, the patient will be able to start swallowing about one week after the operation, and the feeding tube can be removed at that time. If there is concern that the tube may be needed for a much longer time, a tube can be placed through the skin of the abdomen directly into the stomach. Placement of this tube, called a PEG, is more involved, but once in it is easier to take care of and less conspicuous. In some cases a tracheotomy tube is placed into the stoma after the operation. However, this is usually done on a temporary basis until the stoma will stay open on its own.
Total hospital stay after a laryngectomy is usually about a week.
Some patients may not be quite ready to go home after they leave the hospital and will therefore first spend a few days at a Nursing Care Center. After a laryngectomy the air will instead pass directly into the windpipe through the stoma. As a result, the lining of the windpipe will be exposed to air that is much drier and cooler than usual. The mucous that normally lines the trachea will become thicker and crusting can develop. The crusts that form can actually block the airway, and can also lead to infection.