Partial pharyngolaryngectomy with infrahyoid flap: Our experience.

Aim: We evaluated a cohort of advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, treated with conservative surgery, reconstruction with infrahyoid flap and radio-chemotherapy.

Methods: We used partial pharyngo-laryngectomy and radio-chemotherapy to treat fifty-seven patients with stage III-IV hypopharyngeal SCC from November 1994 to December 2011. Clinical examination and speech therapy evaluation were used for estimation of laryngeal function.

Results: All patients received a partial pharyngo-laryngectomy. All patients underwent neck dissection; 56 patients received bilateral neck dissection. Reconstruction was achieved by infra-hyoid flap. Five-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 54.4% and 61.4%, respectively. Successful laryngeal function preservation with complete five-year remission was achieved in 44% of the patients.

Conclusion: Selected even if advanced carcinomas of the hypopharynx maybe treated with partial pharyngo-laryngectomy with reconstruction with pedicled flap. Both oncological and functional results showed a good outcome.