[On morphological changes in the hypopharynx-esophageal region following laryngectomia (author's transl)]

This report deals with the morphological changes in the hypopharynx-esophageal region of two patients following laryngectomia. In these patients we found two sagittal infoldings of the lateral walls of the hypopharynx-esophageal region. Histological examination revealed a nodular circumscribed hypertrophy of the innermost fascicle of the continuous helical system which, by time, becomes replaced by a fibrous tissue. Later on, the middle and outer fascicles of the continuous helical system undergo the same changes. Both these processes result in the formation of a hypertrophic scar which finally turns out in an atrophic scar. The volume of the esophageal wall at the same time as maintained by an increase of adipose tissue in the outer third. This adipose tissue spreads towards the lumen and finally replaces all the scar tissue. In clinical experience such infoldings are not a rare finding, however it seems doubtful if they can get any meaning in the phonation. Nevertheless the formation of such infoldings seems to be intimately related to the altered function of the hypopharyngeal region following laryngectomia.