Local failure after supracricoid partial laryngectomy: symptoms, management, and outcome

The medical files of 15 patients with local recurrence after supracricoid partial laryngectomy consecutively managed at Laënnec Hospital were reviewed. The clinical symptoms and the laryngeal computed tomography appearance of local recurrence, as well as the salvage treatment performed, are presented. The main presenting symptom was dyspnea. None of the local recurrences was considered to be unresectable. One patient refused any form of salvage treatment. Radiation therapy and salvage total laryngectomy were the options retained for local salvage. A minimum 5-year follow-up was always achieved. In patients who underwent salvage total laryngectomy, perioperative or postoperative death and postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistula were not encountered. The 5-year survival was 33.3%. The local control rate was 66.6%. The percentage of patients who experienced nodal recurrence was 26.6%, and the distant metastasis estimate was 53.3%. The cause of death was distant metastasis in eight patients, local recurrence in two, and intercurrent disease in one. Peristomal recurrence was not encountered. Overall, 80% local control and 6.6% laryngeal preservation rates were achieved.