CO2 laser surgery of supraglottic carcinoma: our experience over 6 years.
OBJECTIVE
The study goal was to analyze the oncologic and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery in the treatment of carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx.


METHODS
A total of 53 patients were included in this retrospective review between 2000 and 2006. The follow-up period was more than 2 years and the mean follow-up for all patients was 49 months.


RESULTS
Tumour extension was as follows: T1 in 12 (22.6%), T2 in 37 (69.8%) and T3 in 4 (7.5%). Forty-seven patients (88.7%) had neck dissections. Nineteen patients (35.8%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. Kaplan-Meier estimates for disease-specific survival were 80%, 74.11% and 65%, at 2, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The overall functional laryngeal preservation rate was 90.56%. (48 of 53), and local control 81.13%. During follow up, 13.2% of patients developed local recurrence, 11.3% regional recurrence and 5.7% loco-regional recurrence. Patients started swallowing early after surgery, with a mean time of 5.83 days, and the mean hospital stay was 14.69 days. Complications included 20.75% who suffered pneumonia and 11.32% with bleeding. Only one patient (1.88%) received total laryngectomy due to the impossibility of swallowing.


CONCLUSIONS
With careful selection of patients, laser supraglottic laryngectomy is a safe and effective treatment for cancer of the supraglottic larynx.
Pérez Delgado
Laura
L
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, España. layipez@hotmail.com
El-Uali Abeida
Mahfoud
M
de Miguel García
Félix
F
Astier Peña
Pilar
P
Herrera Tolosana
Silvia
S
Lisbona Alquézar
Maria Pilar
MP
Tejero-Garcés Galve
Gloria
G
Sevil Navarro
Jorge
J
Martinez-Berganza
Ramón
R
Ortiz García
Alberto
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult