Complications after CO(2) laser surgery of laryngeal cancer in the elderly

Cancer of the larynx in elderly patients should be treated with curative intention, if the extension of the primary tumour allows safe resection. Transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery is associated with a low rate of major complications and can be regarded as suitable even for elderly patients. Age itself should never be the sole factor in deciding which therapy should be undertaken.

In the industrialized nations the age group beyond 75 years will grow steadily, requiring special attention by medical professionals in the future. Nowadays laryngeal cancer is often treated by transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery. Because of a variety of comorbidities, the incidence of perioperative complications in the group of elderly patients is of increasing interest. To date, no references in the literature have discussed complications after transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery in this age group. Patients and methods. Twenty-four patients over the age of 75 suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and treated by transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery since 1998 were analysed for intraoperative and postoperative complications.

There was no evidence of surgery-related complications at all. Postoperatively, 6 of 24 patients complained about dysphagia. Due to intraoperative placement of nasogastric feeding tubes in these six cases further complications such as pneumonia resulting from aspiration could have been avoided.