Supracricoid partial laryngectomy: analyses of oncologic and functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze the functional and oncologic results of supracricoid partial laryngectomy. STUDY DESIGN Case series with chart review. SETTING Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. SUBJECT AND METHODS The medical records of 56 patients, who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy between March 2002 and December 2010, were reviewed in this study. Forty-three patients underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy, and 13 patients underwent cricohyoidoepiglottopexy. The overall and disease-specific survival, local control rates, and the mean time of decannulation and nasogastric tube removal were evaluated. Association of type of surgery with the functional and oncologic outcomes was evaluated and statistically compared. RESULTS The median follow-up period was 58 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 100%, 96.4%, and 82.1%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year local control rates were 100%, 96.1%, and 92.5%, respectively. Type of surgery did not show any significant difference in survival and local control rates (P = .546, P = .455). The mean (SD) decannulation and nasogastric feeding tube removal time was 11.43 (2.03) and 16.79 (3.51) days, respectively. The mean time of decannulation and nasogastric tube removal was significantly longer in patients who underwent cricohyoidopexy when compared with those who underwent cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (P = .002, P = .000). CONCLUSION Although delaying deglutition functions could be termed a disadvantage of supracricoid laryngectomy, especially with cricohyoidopexy, supracricoid laryngectomy has reliable oncologic and functional results for locally advanced laryngeal cancers while maintaining laryngeal functions.