Postoperative Management of the Head and Neck Cancer Patient

Course overview

There are approximately 66,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) diagnosed each year. Speech-language pathologists play a vital role in the screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with HNC, yet many clinicians have limited education or clinical training in head and neck cancer. This course seeks to provide detailed descriptions of the ablative and reconstructing surgeries performed, as well as the equipment and the potential complications encountered in the postoperative period. The impact on communication and swallowing will be discussed, and high risk factors will be identified.