[Individualized partial laryngectomy during surgery of epiglottic carcinoma]

To investigate an individualized operative modality of partial laryngectomy for suprahyoid epiglottis centered epiglottic carcinoma.

Eleven cases of epiglottic squamous carcinoma which primarily focused in the suprahyoid region were included. Preoperative CT indicated that obvious margin with low density existed in the pre-epiglottic space in 3 cases, and pre-epiglottic space were involved in 8 cases, among which the arytenoid region were involved in 2 cases. An individualized partial laryngectomy was manipulated beyond the safe margin, an arytenoid epiglottic fold-plasty was performed and the remaining epiglottis was fixed to the tongue base. Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy were applied to all patients and the follow-up time lasted from 1 to 6 years with mean time of 3 years and 6 months.

One patient died of recurrence in the tongue base after one year postoperatively, one was lost to follow-up 2 years after surgery. The overall 3-year survival rate was 81.8%. Nine patients were free from tracheal cannulation within one year postoperatively and the other two patients went on with tracheal tube assisted respiration. Aspiration gradually disappeared within 1-3 months.

Individualized partial laryngectomy in treatment of epiglottic carcinoma could preserve more laryngeal tissue and result in better laryngeal function preservation.