TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY

Course overview

THE PRIMARY GOAL IN TREATING LARYNGEAL CANCER IS ONCOLOGIC CONTROL OF THE DISEASE. PRESERVING SPEECH AND SWALLOWING FUNCTIONS AND AVOIDING TRACHEOSTOMY ARE SECONDARY GOALS. THE TREATMENT OF LARYNGEAL CARCINOMAS CAN INCLUDE RADIOTHERAPY, CHEMOTHERAPY, SURGERY, OR A COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE MODALITIES. THE TREATMENT FOR LARYNGEAL CANCER IS OFTEN DETERMINED BY THE EXPERTISE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM SUCH AS A TUMOR BOARD OR MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CLINIC. IT IS BASED ON THE TUMOR TYPE, LOCATION, FUNCTION OF THE LARYNX, AND MEDICAL AND SOCIAL CO-MORBIDITIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL PATIENT. TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY IS THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR SURGICAL SALVAGE IN LARYNGEAL CANCER THAT HAS FAILED OR RECURRED AFTER NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT BUT IS ALSO A ROUTINELY-PERFORMED PRIMARY TREATMENT FOR ADVANCED-STAGE LARYNGEAL MALIGNANCY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS AND COMPLICATIONS OF TOTAL LARYNGECTOMY WHILE HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS UNDERGOING THIS PROCEDURE.