SUPRACRICOID HEMILARYNGOPHARYNGECTOMY CONVERSION TO PEARSONS NEAR-TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY - A CASE-REPORT

Background: Pearson's near-total laryngectomy was initially advocated in patients with extended glottic carcinoma and hypopharyngeal carcino ma. More recently, the utility of near-total laryngectomy for supraglo ttic pharyngeal, base of tongue, and other cancers such as thyroid can cer with anterior tracheal wall invasion has also been reported. Metho ds: The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate the feasibility of this procedure in the setting of severe aspiration after supracric oid hemilaryngopharyngectomy. Results: The first case of successful co nversion from supracricoid hemilaryngopharyngectomy to Pearson's near- total laryngectomy in a patient with severe and recurrent aspiration i s presented. Conclusions: This case report suggests that when partial laryngopharyngectomy results in severe and recurrent aspiration, rathe r than having to convert the patient to a total laryngectomy with trac heoesophageal puncture, a near-total laryngectomy is a reasonable opti on with acceptable functional results. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons.