Coronavirus disease 2019 status and related anxiety levels in cases undergoing total laryngectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate rate of the COVID-19 disease, its severity, mortality rate and anxiety levels in subjects who underwent total laryngectomy.
Methods: The subjects who underwent total laryngectomy were included in the study. The data were first obtained retrospectively and then a telephone survey was applied. Anxiety levels was evaluated by the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS).
Results: A total of 54 subjects were included in the study. Nine (16.7%) males were reported to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Five (55%) of them were hospitalized; 2 of them (22%) were taken to intensive care units, and one subject (11%) died. Although a tendency to increase risk of COVID-19 disease in the tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis users (23.1% vs 14.63%) was observed, statistically difference was not significant. The average total CAS score was significantly higher in those who had COVID-19.
Conclusion: The data documented that people who underwent total laryngectomy developed more frequent and more severe COVID-19 disease and had a higher mortality rate. Although no obvious variable was found, our data suggest that using a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis may be somewhat effective. Besides, our subjects presented very low anxiety about COVID-19.