Tucker's Reconstructive Laryngectomy: Indications and Functional Outcomes.

Abstract

Introduction: Frontal anterior laryngectomy with epiglottic reconstruction (Tucker's reconstructive surgery) is a technique of partial laryngectomy that has been used by several authors since its introduction in the 80s.The aim of this serie is to specify the indications of this operation and to present the functional and oncological outcomes of our study and those found in the literature.

Materials and methods: We report a retrospective study of 65 cases who underwent Tucker's operation by many surgeons at our educational center over a period of 31 years (1988 - 2020).

Results: This serie included 62 men (95%) and 3 women (5%), with a mean age of 62,8 years. The cases were classified as follows: 42 patients with T1aN0M0 (65%), 21 patients with T1bN0M0 (32%) and 2 patients with T2N0M0 (3%). Following surgery, the mean time for tracheal cannula extraction was 18,4 days and for nasogastric tube was 14,4 days. Five cases developed aspiration pneumonia. Voice quality was then assessed based on its intensity and intelligibility with 11,7% rated as very good, 53,3% as good, 31,7% as average and 3,3% as poor. There were 4 cases of local recurrence, 2 cases of nodal recurrence, and 2 cases of tumour pursuit. The median survival rate was 7,5 years.

Conclusion: The functional and oncological outcomes of Tucker´s reconstructive surgery were generally satisfactory in our patients and are consistent with those reported in the literature. This technique holds an important position of this technique in the therapeutic arsenal for early glottic carcinoma.