title: [The clinical observation of early oral feeding following total laryngectomy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the feasibility of oral feeding 48-72 hours after total laryngectomy of carcinoma of the larynx or pyriform sinus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two patients underwent total laryngectomy (included 34 patients of larynx carcinoma and 8 patients of pyriform sinus carcinoma) were random categorized into control group and experimental group. The experimental group of 21 patients who received oral feeding 48 to 72 h after total laryngectomy was compared with the control group of 21 patients who received oral feeding 10 to 12 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pharyngocutaneous fistula occurred in one patient (4.8%) in the experimental group and in two patients (9.5%) in the control group. These differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that in the patient population initiation of oral feeding 48 to 72 h after total laryngectomy of carcinoma of the larynx or pyriform sinus is a safe clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011.
authors.forename: Junjian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Shanghua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Huijing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors