title: Experience with supracricoid laryngectomy variants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes after supracricoid laryngectomy (SCL) as an alternative to total laryngectomy (TL) for treatment of laryngeal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study involved 333 patients who underwent 4 types of SCL for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx in an Egyptian hospital between May 1984 and May 2007. Both functional outcomes and oncological outcomes were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgical margins were free from tumor invasion. The overall 5-year survival rate was 74%. Three hundred nine patients (92.8%) were decannulated, whereas 8 patients had permanent stenosis, 6 patients underwent TL, and 10 patients died. Only 7 patients (2.1%) had persistent aspiration; 6 of these patients underwent TL, whereas 1 patient died of pneumonia. The voice intelligibility score ranged from 70% to 100%, with a mean score of 89%. The score was highest when both arytenoids were preserved (mean, 95%). Ten patients died of complications directly related to the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supracricoid laryngectomy is effective for managing laryngeal cancer. Modification of the technique to permit resection of both arytenoids is possible in select patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. rifai29@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rifai
authors.forename: Mohamed Salah
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hassouna
authors.forename: Ahmed El Farouk
authors.initials: Ael F
authors.lastname: Abdel Fattah
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Badran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014833:Voice Quality