["Near-total" laryngectomy: functional results]

"Near total" laryngectomy is an alternative to total laryngectomy in some advanced laryngeal tumors. A prospective study was made of the results obtained in 40 patients treated with near total laryngectomy. Speech was achieved in 74.3% of patients within a mean time interval of 63 days. Of the subjects who had more than 5 months of follow-up, 84.6% could speak. Half of the patients who achieved speech used the Barton-Mayo button and did not need to use their hand for phonation. Major swallowing problems were found in 13.9%. The most common complication was pharyngo-cutaneous fistula (58.9%).