Primary versus Delayed Tracheoesophageal Puncture in Patients with Free Flap Reconstruction of Laryngopharyngectomy Defects

Abstract

Results Thirty patients (22%) had a primary TEP performed at the time of TL, 27 patients (20%) received secondary punctures (>3 months post TL), and 80 patients (58%) never received a TEP. Patient and operative demographics were similar between groups (p>0.05), apart from proportionately more hypopharyngeal tumors in the ‘no TEP’ group (p=0.002). Similar numbers of patients in primary and secondary TEP groups achieved functional speech (67% vs 71%, p=0.82). Median time to voice acquisition was 56 days for the primary group and 200 days for the secondary group. Salvage surgery and non-patch radial forearm free flap reconstruction both trended towards increased early postoperative complication rates (p=0.09).).