title: Open organ preservation surgery of the larynx: Experience of Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to report the oncological and functional results of our experience in open organ preservation surgery of the larynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1978 and 2006, 140 patients were treated with organ preservation surgery of the larynx. Feeding tube and tracheotomy duration, surgical infection, fistulae, and pneumonia were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most patients were treated with supraglottic laryngectomies. Thirteen patients (9%) experienced a faringo-cutaneous fistula, 23 (16%) presented with a surgical site infection, and 6 (4%) developed pneumonia. Tracheotomy was maintained for a median period of 47 days in patients who did not receive postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and 140 days in patients who did. Eight (6%) total laryngectomies were performed because of oncological and functional reasons. Tube feeding continued for an average period of 34 days. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) had 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) of 83.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Open organ preservation surgery proved oncologically effective with good functional outcome and acceptable complications.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan Italy. marco.guzzo@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzzo
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezzonico
authors.forename: Tullio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ibba
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fontanella
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scaramellini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D014140:Tracheotomy