title: Predictors of salivary fistula after total laryngectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy and try to identify its predictors.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2005 to April 2010, 93 patients underwent total laryngectomy. We evaluated complications during and after surgery and compared them with the following variables: gender, nutritional status, previous tracheotomy, tumor location, type of surgery, TNM staging, prior treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, use of flaps for reconstruction and surgical margin. All patients presented with advanced neoplastic disease according to TNM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14 (15.1%) patients developed postoperative salivary fistula. The mean time to onset of salivary fistula was 3.5 days, with a standard deviation of 13.7 days. Comparing salivary fistula with TNM variables, type of operation and neck dissection, prior tracheotomy, use of flap, preoperative radio and chemotherapy and surgical margin, there was no statistically significant difference (p> 0,05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of salivary fistula was 15.1% and no predictive factor for its formation was found.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Federal Unversity of Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil. alexandradeccp@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alexandre de Andrade
authors.initials: Ade A
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Porcaro-Salles
authors.forename: João Marcos Arantes
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Gustavo Meyer
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: de Moraes
authors.forename: Jomar Rezende
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Guilherme Souza
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Savassi-Rocha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012467:Salivary Gland Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps