COMPLICATIONS OF SUPRAGLOTTIC LARYNGECTOMY FOR CARCINOMAS OF THE SUPRAGLOTTIS AND THE BASE OF THE TONGUE

The medical records of patients with either a supraglottic carcinoma ( n = 193) or a base of tongue carcinoma (n = 56) who underwent a suprag lottic laryngectomy were studied. Because of aspiration total laryngec tomy was required in 9.8% and 21.4% of patients with supraglottic and base of tongue carcinomas, respectively, being related to locally adva nced stage of disease in the base of tongue and to an age older than 6 5 years in the case of supraglottic carcinomas. The non-decannulation rates were 23.8% and 50% in supraglottic and base of tongue tumours re spectively. Post-operative radiotherapy did not influence the decannul ation rate, but advanced local disease and age did. Post-operative mor tality in the first month after the operation was 2.6% in supraglottic tumours and 3.6% in base of tongue tumours.