Supracricoid partial laryngectomies after radiation failure: A multi-institutional series

Background. Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the gold standard treatments for early laryngeal cancer, and total laryngectomy is still the most applied surgical procedure after failure. Selected recurrences can be managed by supracricoid partial laryngectomies (SCPLs). Methods. A multi-institutional retrospective analysis was carried out in 78 consecutive patients treated by SCPLs for the recurrence of glottic-supraglottic cancer after RT. Cricohyoidoepiglottopexy was performed in 62, and cricohyoidopexy (CHP) in 16 cases. Results. Disease-free survival at 3 and 5 years were 95.5%. Early and late postoperative complications occurred in 27% and 17.9% of cases. Decannulation and satisfactory swallowing were achieved in 97.4% of cases. Conclusions. SCPLs represent effective surgical organ-preservation strategies in the treatment of selected recurrences after RT failure, resulting in a good local control as well as functional recovery with acceptable morbidity, despite a complication rate which is not negligible.