ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes after supracricoid laryngectomy (SCL) as an alternative to total laryngectomy (TL) for treatment of laryngeal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 333 patients who underwent 4 types of SCL for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx in an Egyptian hospital between May 1984 and May 2007. Both functional outcomes and oncological outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Surgical margins were free from tumor invasion. The overall 5-year survival rate was 74%. Three hundred nine patients (92.8%) were decannulated, whereas 8 patients had permanent stenosis, 6 patients underwent TL, and 10 patients died. Only 7 patients (2.1%) had persistent aspiration; 6 of these patients underwent TL, whereas 1 patient died of pneumonia. The voice intelligibility score ranged from 70% to 100%, with a mean score of 89%. The score was highest when both arytenoids were preserved (mean, 95%). Ten patients died of complications directly related to the surgery. CONCLUSION: Supracricoid laryngectomy is effective for managing laryngeal cancer. Modification of the technique to permit resection of both arytenoids is possible in select patients.
