Conservation laryngeal surgery in the elderly patient

Abstract

In the 100 years since Bilroth first undertook a total laryngectomy, general improvements in the prevention and management of childhood and adult disease have led to continuing increase in life expectancy to the point that, in many developed countries, 25% or more of the population is over the age of 65. Although many of these individuals are in otherwise reasonable health, major head and neck procedures are often not performed in favor of radiation therapy for cure, even for lesions that would otherwise be considered amenable to surgery in younger patients, on the grounds that the patient is too old to tolerate the necessary procedure. The same argument has been employed in favoring total laryngectomy over subtotal procedures in the older patient. Review of the author's experience (27 cases) with conservation laryngeal surgery in patients over the age of 65 at the time treatment was undertaken reveals that such procedures are well tolerated in this age group. There were no mortalities and an overall complication rate of 11.1% resulted. These findings compare favorably with complication rates reported for similar patients and surgery in the under 65 age group and strongly suggest that chronologic age alone need not be a contraindication to such surgery.