Stomal Recurrence following Laryngectomy

Abstract

Recurrent tumor in or around the tracheal stoma following laryngectomy almost always terminates in a fatal outcome. Several investigators have attempted to determine the factors that predispose a patient to stomal recurrence, but their conclusions are not entirely in agreement. The records of 251 consecutive laryngectomy patients treated at the UCLA Hospital between 1955 and 1977 were reviewed. The variables evaluated included type of operation, preoperative tracheostomy, interval from operation to recurrence, presence of neck metastases, performance of thyroidectomy, site of lesion, and control of tumor margins. While certain events, such as preoperative tracheostomy, appeared more frequently than others in the stomal recurrence patients, no single factor or group of factors could explain all the recurrences. It appears that stomal recurrences arise from heterogeneous causes. Good planning and utilization of the principles outlined should reduce the incidence of this dreaded complication.