Airway, Communication and Swallowing Management

Panel Discussion: Airway, Communication and Swallowing Management in Tracheostomy and Laryngectomy Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic significant changes have occurred in airway, communication and swallowing management in tracheostomy and laryngectomy patients and practice has been impacted since the onset of the pandemic. New ways of working and new processes have emerged to continue to provide care, and new evidence has become available. Many countries are now seeing a surge in cases. The focus of this panel will be to discuss factors that are currently relevant specifically for airway, communication and swallowing management in tracheostomy and laryngectomy patients across the continuum of care, including recovering COVID-19 patients.

International panel:

Mrs Sarah Wallace
Consultant Speech and Language Therapist (Critical care), Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK. National Tracheostomy Safety Project – SLT Lead, UK

Dr Carlos Miguel Chiesa Estomba, MD
Head and Neck Surgeon, University Hospital Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain

Mr Rommie Barhoumeh
Respiratory Therapist, Director of Respiratory Care and Sleep Disorders Center at Harper University Hospital and Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Dr Brendan A McGrath, MB ChB FRCP FRCA DICM EDIC PGCertMedEd AHEA FFICM MAcadMEd P
Consultant in Anaesthesia & Critical Care, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Honorary Senior Lecturer, the University of Manchester
Chair, UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project