Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2002 Apr;45(4):383-386.

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

• Choi EC
• Kim CH
• Shin SH
• Lim JY
• Yang HD
• Kim KM

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.

Keyword

Supraglottic partial laryngectomy; Elderly; Decannulation; Oral feeding

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Deglutition
Deglutition Disorders
Enteral Nutrition
Fistula
Gastrostomy
Humans
Laryngectomy*
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies