VIDEOFLUOROSCOPIC EVALUATION OF COMPLICAT IONS AFTER LARYNGEAL RESECTION

In past decades, the surgical techniques for treating laryngeal carcin oma have been vastly improved. For circumscribed tumors, voice-conserv ing resections are possible and for extensive neoplasms, radical laryn gectomy, sometimes combined with chemoradiation, has been developed. P ostoperative complications regarding swallowing function are not uncom mon. Radiologic examinations, especially pharyngography and videofluor oscopy, are most often used to evaluate patients with complications af ter laryngeal surgery. An optimized videofluoroscopic technique for ev aluation of complications is described. The radiologic appearance of e arly and late complications, such as fistulas, hematomas, aspiration, strictures, dysfunction of the pharyngoesophageal sphincter, tumor rec urrence, and metachronous tumors is demonstrated.