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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Learning Modern Laryngeal Surgery in a Dissection Laboratory
Published on: March 18, 2020
Volume-based trends in laryngeal cancer surgery
Christine G Gourin1, Arlene A Forastiere, Giuseppe Sanguineti
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. cgourin1@jhmi.edu
Objectives:
Positive volume-outcome relationships exist for diseases treated with technically complex surgery. Contemporary patterns of laryngeal cancer surgery by hospital and surgeon volume are poorly defined.
Methods:
The Maryland Health Service Cost Review Commission database was queried for hospital and surgeon laryngeal cancer surgical case volumes from 1990 to 2009.
Results:
Overall, 1,981 laryngeal cancer surgeries were performed by 288 surgeons at 41 hospitals. Cases performed by high-volume surgeons increased from 19% in 1990 to 1999 to 35% in 2000 to 2009 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.0, P<.001), whereas cases performed at high-volume hospitals increased from 33% to 39% (OR = 2.0, P<.001). High-volume surgeons were more likely to perform total laryngectomy (OR = 1.7, P = .001) and neck dissection (OR = 1.7, P = .002). High-volume hospitals were significantly associated with total laryngectomy (OR = 2.0, P = .003), neck dissection (OR = 1.8, P = .038), flap reconstruction (OR = 5.1, P = .021), prior radiation (OR = 3.0, P = .031), and increased mortality risk scores (OR = 3.2, P = .006). After controlling for other variables, laryngeal cancer surgery in 2000 to 2009 was associated with increased access to high-volume surgeons (OR = 1.9, P<.001) and high-volume hospitals (OR = 1.3, P = .040), a decrease in partial and total laryngectomy procedures (OR = 0.2, P<.001), an increase in neck dissection (OR = 2.2, P< 0.001), an increase in prior radiation (OR = 3.0, P<.001), increased case complexity scores (OR = 5.7, P<.001), and an increase in wound fistula or dehiscence (OR = 2.0, P = .015) compared with 1990 to 1999.
Conclusions:
The proportion of laryngeal cancer surgery patients treated by high-volume surgeons and hospitals increased significantly in 2000 to 2009 compared with 1990 to 1999, with a decrease in laryngectomy procedures and an increase in wound complications. These findings may be due to changing trends in primary management of laryngeal cancer.
