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Conservation surgery for cancer of the larynx in the elderly ‐
Author(s) -
Alajmo Ettore,
FiniStorchi Omero,
Agostini Vittorugo,
Polli Gianni
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-198502000-00016
Subject(s) - medicine , laryngectomy , surgery , neck dissection , cordectomy , larynx , complication , dissection (medical) , cancer , laryngeal neoplasm , general surgery
The postoperative course was evaluated for 458 consecutive patients, all over the age of 56 years, who had undergone laryngeal conservation surgery in the last 10 years. One hundred seventy‐one patients aged 66 and over made up the “elderly” group and 287 patients, aged between 56 and 65 years formed the control group. It was confirmed that cordectomy and frontolateral laryngectomy are feasible even in elderly patients. Bronchopneumonia is the most frequent and serious complication after supraglottic laryngectomy. Therefore this operation should be performed in the elderly patient only after a thorough evaluation of cardiac and respiratory function. Prophylactic neck dissection should not be done for No necks and the second therapeutic neck dissection in N2 cancers should be staged 6 or more weeks later. Hemilaryngopharyngectomy and subtotal reconstructive laryngectomy with cricohyoidpexis are not advisable in elderly patients.