Early oral feeding after salvage laryngectomy.
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to determine the feasibility and safety of initiating early oral feeding in patients who underwent salvage laryngectomy on postoperative day 5 and to review the rate of pharyngocutaneous fistula formation.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 29 patients who underwent salvage laryngectomy was completed. Patients included in the study had radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma with subsequent total laryngectomy. Patients were excluded from analysis if they were reliant on a gastrostomy tube preoperatively, had a concurrent complete glossectomy, or developed a fistula before beginning oral feedings. Early oral feeding was initiated on postoperative day 5.


RESULTS
Twenty patients met complete inclusion criteria. Pharyngocutaneous fistula occurred in 10% (2/20) of the patients. Patients without postoperative complications on an average remained in the hospital for 7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of fistula formation is not increased and the duration of hospital stay may be shortened in patients who were given early postoperative feeds.
Eustaquio
Marcia
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. marcia-eustaquio@ouhsc.edu
Medina
Jesus E
JE
Krempl
Greg A
GA
Hales
Nathan
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013997:Time Factors