EARLY COMPLICATIONS OF TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Objective:

To observe the various complications following total laryngectomy.

Materials and methods:

This is a retrospective study carried out in 54 patients at Ganesh Man Singh Memorial Academy of ENT and Head and Neck Studies, TU Teaching Hospital, between April 2004 and January 2009. All patients who underwent total laryngectomy for histopathologically proven carcinoma larynx and pyriform fossa sinus of various types were included. Complications during early postoperative period (within 2 weeks) were noted. Statistical analysis was done by simple manual analysis using frequency and percentage.

Results:

There were 54 patients included in the study, 48 males (88.88%) and 6 (11.12%) females. The age of patients ranged from 38 years to 78 years with an average of 58 years. Twenty patients developed complications postoperatively. Most common complications were pharyngocutaneous fistula (6 patients), wound infection (4 patients) and superficial flap necrosis followed by wound haematoma (2 patients) and chylous fistula (2 patients).

Conclusion:

Pharyngocutaneous fistula and wound infections are the most common complications after total laryngectomy. Assessment of risk factors and early recognition of complications are necessary to reduce the complications after total laryngectomy.

Keywords: early complications, Laryngeal cancer, total laryngectomy