Investigation of the Surgical Limitation by Extended Supracricoid Laryngectomy

We investigate the excisional limitations of larynx preservation by the technique of extended supracricoid laryngectomy (ESCL) with regard to postoperative swallowing function. Twenty-three patients with advanced or recurrent laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma underwent supracricoid laryngectomy from 2005 to 2012 . Extended resection (ESCL) was performed on seven of them. We observed CTCAE v4.0 defined Grade 1 dysphagia in 3 patients, Grade 2 in 2 patients, Grade 3 in 1 patient and had no assessment for 1 patient because of an earlier salvage operation by total laryngectomy. We obtained a good outcome in patients with additional resection of only unidirectional excision of hyoid bone, cricoid arch or arytenoid cartilage, and only in patients in their early sixties or younger. Dysphagia after ESCL is a common result, but we suggest that ESCL is an effective surgical procedure for functional larynx preservation to deal with advanced or recurrent laryngeal cancer if properly performed.