Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:30:46.767Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Complications and predisposing factors from a decade of total laryngectomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2020

C S G Thompson*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
P Asimakopoulos
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
A Evans
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
G Vernham
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
A J Hay
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
I J Nixon
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Scotland, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Mr Christopher S G Thompson, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, EdinburghEH4 2SP, Scotland, UK E-mail: Christhompson3@nhs.net

Abstract

Background

Total laryngectomy is often utilised to manage squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx. This study reports on surgical trends and outcomes over a 10-year period.

Method

A retrospective review of patients undergoing total laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma was performed (n = 173), dividing patients into primary and salvage total laryngectomy cohorts.

Results

A shift towards organ-sparing management was observed. Primary total laryngectomy was performed for locoregionally advanced disease and utilised reconstruction less than salvage total laryngectomy. Overall, 11 per cent of patients developed pharyngocutaneous fistulae (primary: 6 per cent; salvage: 20 per cent) and 11 per cent neopharyngeal stenosis (primary: 9 per cent; salvage: 15 per cent). Pharyngocutaneous fistulae rates were higher in the reconstructed primary total laryngectomy group (24 per cent; 4 of 17), compared with primary closure (3 per cent; 3 of 90) (p = 0.02). Patients were significantly more likely to develop neopharyngeal stenosis following pharyngocutaneous fistulae in salvage total laryngectomy (p = 0.01) and reconstruction in primary total laryngectomy (p = 0.02). Pre-operative haemoglobin level and adjuvant treatment failed to predict pharyngocutaneous fistulae development.

Conclusion

Complications remain hard to predict and there are continuing causes of morbidity. Additionally, prior treatment continues to affect surgical outcomes.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited, 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Mr C S G Thompson takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

Sayles, M, Grant, DG. Preventing pharyngo-cutaneous fistula in total laryngectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Laryngoscope 2014;124:1150–63CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stankovic, M, Milisavljevic, D, Zivic, M, Stojanov, D, Stankovic, P. Primary and salvage total laryngectomy. Influential factors, complications, and survival. J BUON 2015;20:527–39Google ScholarPubMed
Dyckhoff, G, Plinkert, PK, Ramroth, H. A change in the study evaluation paradigm reveals that larynx preservation compromises survival in T4 laryngeal cancer patients. BMC Cancer 2017;17:609CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richard, JM, Sancho-Garnier, H, Pessey, JJ, Luboinski, B, Lefebvre, JL, Dehesdin, D et al. Randomized trial of induction chemotherapy in larynx carcinoma. Oral Oncol 1998;34:224–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Busoni, M, Deganello, A, Gallo, O. Pharyngocutaneous fistula following total laryngectomy: analysis of risk factors, prognosis and treatment modalities. Acta Otorhinolarngol Ital 2015;35:400–5Google ScholarPubMed
Walton, B, Vellucci, J, Patel, PB, Jennings, K, McCammon, S, Underbrink, MP. Post-laryngectomy stricture and pharyngocutaneous fistula: review of techniques in primary pharyngeal reconstruction in laryngectomy. Clin Otolaryngol 2018;43:109116CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sweeny, L, Golden, JB, White, HN, Magnuson, JS, Carroll, WR, Rosenthal, EL. Incidence and outcomes of stricture formation post laryngectomy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2012;146:395402CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paydarfar, JA, Birkmeyer, NJ. Complications in head and neck surgery: a meta-analysis of postlaryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistula. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2006;132:6772CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cavalot, AL, Gervasio, CF, Nazionale, G, Albera, R, Bussi, M, Staffieri, A et al. Pharyngocutaneous fistula as a complication of total laryngectomy: review of the literature and analysis of case records. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;123:587–92CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Makitie, AA, Niemensivu, R, Hero, M, Keski-Säntti, H, Bäck, L, Kajanti, M et al. Pharyngocutaneous Fistula following total laryngectomy: a single institutions 10-year experience. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2006;263:1127–30CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Francis, DO, Weymuller, EA Jr, Parvathaneni, U, Merati, AL, Yueh, B. Dysphagia, stricture, and pneumonia in head and neck cancer patients: does treatment modality matter? Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2010;119:391–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torrente, MC, Rodrigo, JP, Haigentz, M Jr, Dikkers, FG, Rinaldo, A, Takes, RP et al. Human papillomavirus infections in laryngeal cancer. Head Neck 2011;33:581–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed