Postoperative Laryngeal Cancer Complications

Background: Postoperative complications of total or partial laryngectomy have an important impact on clinical evolution and patients’ quality of life. These can be categorized according to the rate of incidence, early or late occurrence, and local or systemic involvement. Complications are most frequently linked to patient- as well as tumor-related risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 64 patients diagnosed with laryngeal cancer who also associated postoperative complications over a period of 1 year.

Results: The results were compared with literature data. Local complications, such as pharyngocutaneous fistulas, hemorrhages, and hematomas, were seen as the most frequent early complications. Neopharyngeal stenosis and vocal prosthesis leakage were the most recurrent late complications. Patients with multiple comorbidities and who underwent salvage total laryngectomy were factors most commonly related to postoperative complications.

Conclusion: Identifying the incidence of complications and risk factor predictors are essential for determining a suitable prevention and management plan, in order to increase the quality of life of this particular group of patients who are already vulnerable due to effects related to this specific pathology.

Cite this article as: Taher Bianca P, Popescu B, Catrinel Simion-Antonie B, et al. Postoperative laryngeal cancer complications. Balkan ORL-HNS 2024;1(1):32-36.