OPEN ORGAN PRESERVATION SURGERY OF THE LARYNX: EXPERIENCE OF ISTITUTO NAZIONALE TUMORI OF MILAN

Background. The purpose of the present study was to report the oncological and functional results of our experience in open organ preservation surgery of the larynx. Methods. Between 1978 and 2006, 140 patients were treated with organ preservation surgery of the larynx. Feeding tube and tracheotomy duration, surgical infection, fistulae, and pneumonia were recorded. Results. Most patients were treated with supraglottic laryngectomies. Thirteen patients (9%) experienced a faringo-cutaneous fistula, 23 (16%) presented with a surgical site infection, and 6 (4%) developed pneumonia. Tracheotomy was maintained for a median period of 47 days in patients who did not receive postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and 140 days in patients who did. Eight (6%) total laryngectomies were performed because of oncological and functional reasons. Tube feeding continued for an average period of 34 days. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) had 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 83.6%. Conclusion. Open organ preservation surgery proved oncologically effective with good functional outcome and acceptable complications. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 33: 673-678, 2011