Total Laryngectomy with Horizontal Mechanical Closure of the Pharyngoesophagectomy: Evaluation of the Effectiveness in Elderly Patients

The main modalities of surgical treatment for laryngeal cancer include transoral laser microsurgery (TLM), open preservation surgery, and total laryngectomy (TL). In the elderly, for the presence of comorbidities, the surgical approach more appropriate in many cases remains TL. The use of a stapler for the closure of the esophagus has been introduced to reduce surgical time and postoperative complications such as pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF). Objective In the present study, we have evaluated the effectiveness of the use of the horizontal mechanical pharyngoesophageal closure in patients who underwent TL. Methods This nonrandomized study was performed on consecutive patients with histopathologically proven squamous cell endolaryngeal carcinoma. The TLwas performed using a linear stapler to mechanically suture the pharyngotomy using the semiclosed technique. Results A total of 33 patients underwent TL, and 13 of themunderwent neck dissection. A total of 15 patients (45.4%) were