Recovery of Swallowing Disorders in Patients Undergoing Supracricoid Laryngectomy with Botulinum Toxin Therapy

Abstract

In recent decades, functional laryngeal surgery has become a widespread method of treating glottic and supraglottic neoplasms, since it ensures an oncological outcome comparable to that of radical surgery and functional results that are conducive to a good quality of life. The most common postoperative complaints for this type of surgery are swallowing disorders, which can thwart good surgical results, especially when severe. Five supracricoid laryngectomees with swallowing disorders unresolved by speech therapy were treated by percutaneous injection of botulinum toxin under electromyographic control. All patients presented marked improvement in their complaints. A single session of botulinum toxin type A treatment resolved the dysphagia in all cases.