Automatic speaking valve in tracheo-esophageal speech: treatment proposal for a widespread usage.

Purpose: Aim of this study was to calculate the percentage of the Automatic Speaking Valve (ASV) use in a large cohort of laryngectomized patients with voice prosthesis (VP) and to analyze the main reasons for non-use. Subsequently, a specific rehabilitation training was proposed.

Methods: One hundred-ten laryngectomized patients with VP were enrolled in the first phase of the study (census).