Oncologic Outcomes After Salvage Laryngectomy for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx and Hypopharynx: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze oncologic outcomes and identify patterns of failure and negative prognostic factors in patients who underwent salvage total laryngectomy (STL) for residual, recurrent, and second primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx and hypopharynx. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent STL in four major Belgian reference hospitals between 2002 and 2018 for residual/recurrent/second primary SCC in the larynx or hypopharynx after initial (chemo)radiation. Prognostic factors for oncologic outcomes were identified using univariable and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: A total of 405 patients were included in the final analysis. Five-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS) estimates were 47.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 42.0-53.2%), 68.7% (95% CI 63.7-73.7%), 42.1% (95% CI 36.7-47.4%), and 44.3% (95% CI 38.8-49.7%), respectively. In a multivariable model, increasing clinical tumor stage of the residual/recurrent/second primary tumor, increasing number of metastatic cervical lymph nodes retrieved during neck dissection, hypopharyngeal and supraglottic tumor location, positive section margin status and perineural invasion were independent negative prognostic variables for OS, DSS, DFS, and LRFS. The type of second tumor was identified as an additional independent prognosticator for DSS, with local recurrences and second primary tumors having a better prognosis than residual tumor. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Favorable oncologic outcomes are reported after STL. Increasing clinical tumor stage, increasing number of metastatic cervical lymph nodes, hypopharyngeal and supraglottic tumor location, positive section margins, and perineural invasion are identified as independent negative prognosticators for all oncologic outcome measures.

Functional Outcomes and Complications After Salvage Total Laryngectomy for Residual, Recurrent, and Second Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx and Hypopharynx: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background/Purpose: We analyzed complications and functional outcomes and aimed at identifying prognostic factors for functional outcomes and complications in patients who underwent salvage total laryngectomy (STL) for residual, recurrent, and second primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx and hypopharynx after initial (chemo)radiation. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent STL in four major Belgian reference hospitals between 2002 and 2018. Prognostic factors for functional outcomes and complications were identified with uni- and multivariable analysis. Results: A total of 405 patients were included in the final analysis. STL was performed for residual tumor (40.2%), local recurrence (40.5%), or second primary laryngeal or hypopharyngeal SCC (19.4%). Early postoperative complications were experienced by 34.2% of patients: postoperative hemorrhage occurred in 5.4%, wound infection in 16.2%, and clinical pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) in 25.5% of patients. Early readmission proved necessary in 15.1% of cases, most often due to late PCF development (72.2%). Patients achieved total peroral intake in 94.2% of cases. However, subjective dysphagia was reported by 31.3% of patients during follow-up. Functional speech, defined as functional communication by speech without additional aids, was reported in 86.7% of cases and was most often achieved by tracheo-esophageal puncture (TEP) (94.1%). In a multivariable model, lower preoperative hemoglobin (<12.5 g/dl) was identified as an independent prognostic factor for higher overall complication rate. No risk factors were found significant for clinical fistula formation. Vascularized tissue augmentation did not significantly prevent clinical PCF. Patients with positive section margins, patients initially treated with surgery combined with adjuvant RT (vs. radiotherapy alone), and those developing PCF after STL were less likely to achieve total peroral intake. Postoperative dysphagia proved more likely in patients who developed a PCF postoperatively, and less likely in patients who underwent STL without partial pharyngectomy and in patients with myocutaneous pectoralis major (PM) flap reconstruction, compared to muscle onlay PM flap. Achieving postoperative functional speech proved most likely in patients with smaller tumors (lower pT classification) and free section margins. Conclusion: Substantial complication rates and favorable functional outcomes are reported after STL.

Simultaneous true stapes fixation and bilateral bony dehiscence between the internal carotid artery and the apex of the cochlea: the ultimate pitfall.

BACKGROUND: A dehiscence of a semicircular canal can mimic the audiologic characteristics of otosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: To present a unique case report of a patient presenting with stapes fixation due to otosclerosis but persisting conductive hearing loss after uneventful laser-assisted stapedotomy with interposition of an àWengen titanium clip stapes prosthesis. Eventually, a bilateral bony dehiscence between the apical turn of the cochlea and the internal carotid artery was eventually identified, which explained the persisting postoperative conductive hearing loss. A dehiscence of the semicircular canals was duly ruled out preoperatively. PATIENT: : Caucasian man aged 63 years. INTERVENTION: Laser-assisted stapedotomy with interposition of an àWengen titanium clip stapes prosthesis. Later on, the patient received a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid. RESULTS: A 63-year-old man presented with a clinical and audiologic bilateral stapes fixation due to otosclerosis. A possible dehiscence of a semicircular canal was duly ruled out preoperatively by high-resolution computed tomographic scanning. The stapes fixation was treated lege artis by laser-assisted stapedotomy and subsequent interposition of an àWengen titanium clip stapes prosthesis, but the mixed hearing loss persisted. Eventually, a dehiscence between the apical turn of the cochlea and the internal carotid artery was identified. Thereafter, the patient was adequately helped with a Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid. CONCLUSION: We think that this is the first published case of simultaneous occurrence of radiologically and preoperatively confirmed stapes fixation and bilateral bony dehiscence between the apex of the cochlea and the internal carotid artery. Preoperative imaging studies therefore should look not only for a possible dehiscence of a semicircular canal, mimicking otosclerosis, but also for a dehiscence between the cochlea and the internal carotid artery.