[Tracheoesophageal shunt for voice reconstruction after total laryngectomy to prevent from deglutition disorders].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of tracheoesophageal shunt on voice reconstruction after total laryngectomy.

METHODS

Seventy-nine patients with laryngeal cancer of T3 and T4 stages were conducted an operation of tracheoesophageal shunt after total laryngectomy. The vertical voiced slit with a length of 0.8-0.12 cm was made between the posterior wall of trachea and the frontal wall of esophagus, while the cricoid cartilage flap with the length of 2.0 cm and width of 1.2 cm was reserved to form cartilage mucosa flap as an edge to prevent deglutition disorders. Finally, membranous part of trachea was sutured together with the neck skin as an inclination edge.

RESULTS

In this series, 71 of 79 patients kept good voice function, and 65 of 71 patients avoided deglutition disorders, but other patients failed to do so. The 3-year survival rate was 66.7% (14/21, for stage T3) and 64.9% (24/37, for stage T4), respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 6/10 (for stage T3) and 50.0% (10/20, for stage T4), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The operation of tracheoesophageal shunt is advantageous to prevent deglutition disorders as well as to restore the voice function of larynx.