Swallowing Outcomes Following Laryngectomy and Pharyngolaryngectomy

Abstract

The true incidence of patients experiencing a compromise in swallowing following surgery has been underestimated. The significant impact of impaired swallowing on a patient's level of perceived disability, handicap, and distress highlights the importance of providing optimal management of this negative consequence of surgery to maximize the patient's quality of life.

Functional outcomes and donor site morbidity following circumferential pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using an anterolateral thigh flap and salivary bypass tube

“…41,42 What is clear is that patients with long-term swallowing dysfunction experience significant levels of distress and impaired social functioning. 43 In the study by Ward et al, 43 100% of patients who had undergone a pharyngolaryngectomy experienced dysphagia at discharge following reconstruction with free jejunum. At 3 years, 50% of the patients still had significant swallowing dysfunction.…”

Postoperative complications and its management after total laryngectomy

“…5 Fistula formation has an important effect on patient morbidity and mortality postoperatively. Similarly late complications like pharyngeal stenosis can result in swallowing difficulty, 6 while stomal recurrence may render the tumour incurable thus adversely affecting the prognosis. 7 It is therefore important to diagnose these complications early so that timely intervention can be done.…”

Long-Term Aspiration following Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

“…In severe cases, aspiration may lead to pneumonia and death [4]. The inability to feed normally and the use of a gastrostomy tube may lead to anxiety and depression [5]. In addition, dysphagia may compromise nutritional status, physical activity and quality of life [6].…”