EXPERIENCES IN POZNAN WITH THE EXTENDED F RONTO-LATERAL LARYNGECTOMY AND SIMULTANEOUS RECONSTRUCTION WITH A MUCOCHONDRAL NASAL-SEPTUM FLAP

From 1979 to 1992, 219 extended frontolateral laryngectomies were perf ormed in Poznan with simultaneous reconstruction of the larynx using a mucochondral nasal septum flap. During following examinations local r ecurrences were observed in 7 cases and metastases to regional lymph n odes were found in 3 cases. Complete healing of the flap was seen in 1 72 patients. In these cases the laryngeal lumen was found to be wide a nd the transplanted mucosa was normal. In 14 patients there appeared t o be partial rotation of the flap, narrowing the reconstructed lumen. Among the causes of failure were the use of a too flexible, thin septa l cartilage and wound infection. Detailed acoustic recordings of post- operative voices are presented as examples of successful surgery.