Racial Disparities in 30 Day Outcomes Following Total Laryngectomy

Despite the growing literature on racial disparities in the utilization of total laryngectomy (TL), and survival following the treatment of laryngeal cancers, there is a paucity of research in TL cohorts evaluating disparities in the immediate postoperative setting.

In a national multi-institutional cohort, TL cases between 2010 and 2021 were identified using relevant Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Logistic regression analyses investigated the association between race/ethnicity and adverse outcomes within 30 days postoperatively.

This study consisted of 1493 patients who underwent TL with or without radical neck dissection. Black patients underwent free flap and pedicled flap reconstruction more frequently than their counterparts (P = .023) and exhibited a 1.532 times higher odds of surgical complications (P < .001).

There are increased rates of surgical complications in Black patients undergoing TL. Given the limited oncologic and socioeconomic variables available through National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, future study of disparate postoperative outcomes in this population is recommended.