Twelve patients managed with supracricoid partial laryngectomies (SCPLs) after failed laryngeal radiation therapy (RT) were evaluated. None of the recurrent tumors were amenable to vertical or horizontal partial laryngectomy. Results were analyzed for tracheostomy decannulation, oral alimentation, morbidity, local control, and survival. Major complications included perichondritis (2 patients), laryngeal stenosis (2 patients), and pneumonia from aspiration (1 patient). Mucocutaneous fistula and cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis were not encountered. Margins of resection were uninvolved in all cases. The Kaplan-Meier 3-year actuarial survival and local control estimate was 83.3%. Salvage total laryngectomy allowed for an overall 100% local control rate and a 75% laryngeal preservation rate. This preliminary report suggests that, in patients with failed laryngeal RT not amenable to vertical or horizontal partial laryngectomy, the SCPL procedures should be discussed before advocating salvage total laryngectomy. Further series analyzing the role and limitations of the various SCPL procedures after failed laryngeal RT are warranted.

We present a review of the postoperative course, complications, and functional outcome of 190 patients consecutively treated with supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy. The average times until removal of the tracheostomy and nasogastric feeding tubes were 9 and 16 days, respectively. The postoperative mortality rate was 1%. Major complications included pneumonia from aspiration, cervical wound infection, symptomatic laryngocele, ruptured pexis, laryngeal chondroradionecrosis, and laryngeal stenosis in 8.5%, 4.2%, 3.1%, 1%, 0.5%, and 0.5% of the patients, respectively. Completion total laryngectomy, permanent gastrostomy, and permanent tracheostomy were requested in 0.5% of the patients. Normal swallowing without gastrostomy and respiration without tracheostomy was achieved by the first postoperative year in 98.4% (187/190) of the patients. This article presents a univariate analysis of the potential correlation between various variables and the duration of tracheostomy and the length of time the nasogastric feeding tubes were inserted, the mortality incidence and causes, the incidence and type of the various complications, and the duration of hospitalization. Comparison of our data with the reported functional results after vertical partial laryngectomy suggested that supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy does not result in an increased rate of postoperative complications.

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