Moreno PR, Márquez RD, Peña PH, Flores MA

Language: Spanish
References: 6
Page: 170-173
PDF size: 313.12 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Background: Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a common complication of a total laryngectomy, which varies from 7 to 65% of the cases. There is no international agreement in whether to use or not a nasogastric tube after this surgery, neither if this contributes to produce a pharyngocutaneous fistula.
Objective: To determine the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula in laryngectomized patients with and without nasogastric tube.
Patients and method: We designed a retrospective cohort with patients that had never received radiotherapy and were susceptible for total laryngectomy. We excluded patients who had previous surgeries from tumors of the aerodigestive tract or needed surgery expanded to other sites. In one group, the nasogastric tube was introduced after finishing the surgery and the diet started the next day. The other group did not use nasogastric tube and we started giving diet after 48 hours.
Results: Of all patients 24 used nasogastric tube and 32 did not use it. The average age was 66 years; 15.6% of the patients without nasogastric tube and 25% of them with nasogastric tube had a pharyngocutaneous fistula. There was no statistical significance between the two groups in the formation of the pharyngocutaneous fistula (p = 0.222).
Conclusions: It has not been demonstrated that using or not nasogastric tube is a cause of pharyngocutaneous fistula. So its continued use after laryngectomy is not justified anymore.

REFERENCES

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