Supraglottic Partial Laryngectomy is Contraindicated in Patients Elder than 70 Years Old? / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Some use age 70 as a cut-off point for supraglottic laryngectomy because of postoperative aspiration and deglutition complications. But the relationship between age and postoperative aspiration and deglutition complications has not been adequately reported. Therefore, we reviewed postoperative aspiration and deglutition complications of supraglottic laryngectomy in patients older than 70 years old and investigated whether age was one of the factors influencing functional outcome in supraglottic laryngectomy. Patients and Method: From 1994 to 2001, the decannulation day and the postoperative day when oral feeding was started were retrospectively investigated on seven patients who underwent supraglottic partial laryngectomies among early (T1, T2) supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma patients elder than 70 years old. RESULTS: There were no cases requiring either a persistent tube feeding and a gastrostomy. Decannulation could be performed in all cases. The average decannulation day was postoperative 20.6 days and the average oral feeding day was 16.3 days. There were no postoperative complications such as aspiration, fistula and dysphagia. There were no differences according to age. CONCLUSION: No differences were found regarding age in the functional outcomes of supraglottic laryngectomy. So, one's chronological age does not necessarily reflect his or her physiological age and therefore cannot be a contraindication of supraglottic laryngectomy.