The impact of pharyngeal repair time and suture frequency on the development of pharyngocutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy.
OBJECTIVE
Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) is the most common postoperative complication after total laryngectomy. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between PCF with pharyngeal repair time and the number of mucosal sutures.


METHODS
The medical records of 47 patients who underwent total laryngectomy were assessed prospectively. The pharyngeal repair time and the number of horizontal, vertical, and cricopharyngeal muscle sutures were recorded. We observed the occurrence of PCF in 14 patients (29.8%). The mean time for pharyngeal repair in the PCF group was 22 minutes 59 seconds ± 5 minutes, and the mean number of vertical, horizontal, and cricopharyngeal muscle sutures was 8.57 ± 2.6, 11.14 ± 2.1, and 8.45 ± 1.9, respectively. The mean time for pharyngeal repair in the non-PCF group was 22 minutes 21 seconds ± 5 minutes, and the mean number of vertical, horizontal, and cricopharyngeal muscle sutures was 9.54 ± 2.6, 10.84 ± 2.3, and 7.36 ± 2.7, respectively. The differences in the pharyngeal repair time and the number of vertical, horizontal, and cricopharyngeal sutures between the 2 groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Besides, there was no statistically significant difference between the mean suture counts per centimeter in horizontal plane (1.46 ± 0.35) and vertical plane (0.98 ± 0.25) in the PCF group and the mean suture counts per centimeter in horizontal plane (1.42 ± 0.37) and vertical plane (1.13 ± 0.3) in the non-PCF group (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no relation between PCF development with pharyngeal repair time, mucosal suture count, and suture frequency after total laryngectomy.
From the *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bagcilar Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul; and †Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Park Hospital, Elazig, Turkey.
Salih
S
Aydin
Umit
U
Taskin
Israfil
I
Orhan
Bengül
B
Altas
Sertuğ Sinan
SS
Ege
Kadir
K
Yucebas
Mehmet Faruk
MF
Oktay
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data