Salvage resection after previous laryngeal surgery

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of extended total laryngectomy for the treatment of recurrences of laryngeal cancer. Design:We conducted a retrospective clinical. study of patients who had und ergone extended total laryngectomy and were seen over a 15-year period. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 15 years. Setting: Academic tertiary referral medical center. Patients: We observed 15 patients who were affected by a recurrence of lary ngeal cancer that extended to the overlying soft tissue. All patients were male. The mean age was 61.5 years. Thirteen patients had previously undergo ne partial laryngeal surgery, and 2 patients had undergone radiation therap y, without success. Intervention: All patients underwent total laryngectomy extending to the so ft tissue, including the overlying skin. Results: Five of the 15 patients died of local recurrence, and 1 patient di ed of massive postoperative hemorrhaging. An actuarial survival rate of 60% was observed at 5 years. Conclusions: Total laryngectomy extending to the soft tissues seems to be a n effective procedure for treating local recurrences of laryngeal cancer af ter partial laryngectomy or failure of radiation therapy.