Results of near-total laryngectomy

The clinical records of 225 patients undergoing primary or salvage near-total laryngectomy (NTL) for laryngeal and pyriform cancer were analyzed for local control and morbidity. If the primary cancer was laryngeal in origin, patients underwent a simple NTL; if it was pyriform, a minor modification called near-total laryngopharyngectomy (NTLP) was used. When NTLP was extended to include necessary portions of the tongue base or posterior pharyngeal wall, pharyngeal reconstructions were added. The principal outcomes studied were 1) 5-year local control of the primary cancer, 2) achievement of lung-powered shunt speech, and 3) incidence of aspiration. The local control of cancer was similar to that expected with total laryngectomy or laryngopharyngectomy. Conversational voice was achieved in 85% of patients surviving beyond 1 year. Some patients required additional surgery for voice -- usually endoscopic dilation. Aspiration was absent if primary healing was achieved. It was troublesome in wound breakdown if the shunt was directly affected. Secondary anti-aspiration procedures were required in 9% of our patients -- usually preserving shunt speech.