Objective: To explore the feasibility of laryngeal function preservation in surgical treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma with restrained vocal cord motility.
Methods: Twenty-six cases of hypopharyngeal carcinoma treated with conservative hypopharyngectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Partial resection of pyriform sinus and partial laryngectomy were performed. Suturing the remaining hypopharyngeal mucosa was used to cove the wound of hypopharynx in 5 cases, epiglottis complex flap in 21 cases. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy.
Results: The overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 61.4% and 50.8% respectively. 76.9% (20/26) patients have laryngeal functions (voice, respiration and deglutition) completely restored and 23.1% (6/26) partially restored (voice and deglutition).
Conclusions: To improve the quality of life of the cases, the preservative surgery is feasible for the selected hypopharyngeal carcinoma cases with restrained vocal cord motility.