COMPLICATIONS OF PHARYNGEAL MYOTOMY FOR ALARYNGEAL VOICE REHABILITATION

Over the eight-year period to May 1991, 256 patients were referred for post-laryngectomy voice rehabilitation. Videofluoroscopy identified 8 1 (32 per cent) who required pharyngeal myotomy for a spastic pharyngo esophageal segment. Forty-two of these (37 male, 5 female and average age 63 years) had their surgery performed at this unit with a complica tion rate of 17 per cent and an average post-operative stay of 10 days (range 4-41 days). The place of the operation for pharyngeal myotomy in post-laryngectomy voice rehabilitation is discussed.