Debulking obstructing laryngeal cancers to avoid tracheotomy

INTRODUCTION: Upper airway obstruction, secondary to neoplasms presenting with stridor, is traditionally treated by tracheostomy. However, this common procedure can potentially have an impact on the long-term outcome, with tumor implantation into the tracheostomized wound leading to peristomal recurrence after laryngectomy, with the risk of stomal recurrence. OBJECTIVE: To describe our clinical experience with tumor debulking as an alternative treatment choice of tracheotomy in patients with advanced larynx cancer at a tertiary referral center. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 87 subjects who had advanced larynx cancer (T3/4) with airway obstruction from our institutional database was conducted. Medical records including demographics, daily notes during hospitalization, and operative notes were used for clinical data of patients. The strategy for maintaining the airway patency was tracheotomy (emergency or awake) and tumor debulking (laser or coblation). Endophytic and exophytic laryngeal tumors were also noted. RESULTS: In 41/87 (47.1%) patients, a tracheotomy was performed as an initial treatment (11 were emergency, 30 were planned) to maintain airway patency. Tumor debulking was performed in 28 exophytic and 18 endophytic lesions by laser or coblation (17 and 29 patients, respectively). Tracheotomy was performed in 5 patients (4 endophytic, 1 exophytic) who could not tolerate debulking surgery due to aspiration, edema and dyspnea. Three of the them who required subsequent tracheotomy was in the laser group and two in the coblation group. The success rate of laser debulking was 82.35% (14/17) and 93.1% (27/29) for coblation. CONCLUSION: Tumor debulking is a safe and effective method to avoid awake tracheotomy in patients suffering from airway obstruction due to advanced larynx cancer.