Subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy for supraglottic carcinoma: review of 61 cases.

BACKGROUND: Subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy is a functional laryngectomy suitable for treatment of supraglottic carcinomas. This procedure consists of resection of the thyroid cartilage, the paraglottic space, the epiglottis, and the entire pre-epiglottic space. The cricoid cartilage, the hyoid bone, and at least one arytenoid cartilage are spared.

METHODS: Between 1973 and 1990, we used subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy to treat 61 successive patients with supraglottic carcinomas. The data were collected by a review of patient records. The cancers were stages T1 (2), T2 (41), T3 (14), and T4 (4), according to the 1979 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging criteria.

RESULTS: No patient died postoperatively. Forty-nine (80%) were able to eat normally before the 28th day. A follow-up analysis showed survival rates of 83% at 3 years and 79% at 5 years.

CONCLUSION: We propose subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy for the surgical treatment of supraglottic carcinomas extending to the true vocal cord, the ventricle, and the posterior third of the false vocal cord.