EFFECT OF BLOOD-TRANSFUSION ON TUMOR RECURRENCE AND POSTOPERATIVE PHARYNGOCUTANEOUS FISTULA FORMATION IN PATIENTS SUBJECTED TO TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY

Some surgical oncologists and otolaryngologists have reported that tra nsfusion-induced immunosuppression may increase the incidence of recur rence and infectious complications in patients subjected to head and n eck surgery for carcinoma. The relationship between intra-operative bl ood transfusion and postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistula formation and/or tumor recurrence is controversial. In a retrospective study of 110 total laryngectomized patients, we found no statistically signific ant differences between the transfused and nontransfused groups in ter ms of tumor recurrence and fistula formulation.