Predictive values for aspiration after endoscopic laser resections of malignant tumors of the hypopharynx and larynx.

BACKGROUND CO2-laser surgery is a relatively new treatment for selected carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract. The purpose of our study was to evaluate prospectively the functional results for swallowing after CO2-laser resections. METHODS The sample was composed of 210 consecutive patients with malignancies of the larynx and hypopharynx treated with CO2 laser between February 1998 and January 2002. Endoscopic resections included all T1 and T2 tumors and selected T3 and T4 tumors. T1 glottic tumors were not included in the analysis. We assessed the need for a feeding tube and the period the tube remained in place, aspiration pneumonia, tracheotomy secondary to aspiration, the need for a permanent or temporary gastrostomy, and total laryngectomy secondary to aspiration. RESULTS The nasogastric feeding tube was used in 23.2% of small tumors (2.5 +/- 8.04 days) and in 63% of locally advanced tumors (13.95 +/- 22.55 days). Frequency and period of storage of the feeding tube were higher in locally advanced tumors (p=.0001). Twelve patients (5.7%) had postoperative pneumonia and 59 (28.1%) had temporary postoperative cough during oral intake. Aspiration symptoms correlated with location (p=.001) and locally advanced tumors (p=.016). Eight patients (3.8%) needed a postoperative tracheotomy for severe swallowing difficulties; six (2.9%) of them were definitive and two (0.95%) temporary. Thirteen gastrostomies (6.2%) were performed to avoid severe aspirations; five of them were definitive. The need for gastrostomy correlated significantly with location (p=.002), pT3 and pT4 tumors (p=.002), age (p=.02), and postoperative radiotherapy (p=.04). No correlation was found with the period of feeding tube (p=.38), or aspiration pneumonia (p=.24). CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic resection of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors is associated with good recovery of deglutition. Many tracheotomies are avoided, the need for a feeding tube is usually reduced, and organ preservation is often feasible even in locally advanced tumors.