Videofluoroscopic evaluation of the swallowing function after supracricoid laryngectomy

This study was designed to evaluate the swallowing function in patients with supracricoid laryngectomy (SCL) compared to normal subjects and to search for the factors affecting postoperative aspiration. Ten patients who underwent SCL with cricohyoidopexy (CHP) for primary laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. The control group consisted of 13 normal adult volunteer men with similar ages. The swallowing act of the subjects was evaluated by using videofluoroscopy (VFS) and videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS). The movements of the larynx were measured with regard to the hyoid bone, mandible and vertebral spine. The patients with SCL-CHP, except for two who had slight aspiration, had effective and near normal swallowing regarding the measurements of the movements of the hyoid bone. They could tolerate a near-normal oral diet. We have observed that the preventive precautions for aspiration are preserving the superior laryngeal nerves, suturing and positioning the cricoarytenoid unit as anterosuperiorly as possible, early decannulation and early onset of swallowing rehabilitation; the risk factors for aspiration are advanced stage of cancer, postoperative radiation and shortening of bolus transit time. VFS is useful for the patients with postoperative aspiration, because it is the definitive technique for anatomical and physiological evaluation of swallowing. We consider that the parameters of VLS and VFS, such as tongue base-arytenoid contact, presence of bolus splitting, pseudoepiglottis function, maximal opening of the pharyngoeosophageal sphincter and total movement of hyoid bone are important criteria to evaluate swallowing.