Analysis of Outcomes of Pharyngo-laryngo-esophagectomy and Reconstruction with Longitudinal Comparison in a Single Institution

Advanced hypopharyngeal tumours present complex clinical challenges, and where resection is attempted, there is a requirement for major reconstruction. Despite advances in surgical technique, outcomes remain poor for this patient group, and optimum treatment has yet to be established. We aimed to assess the treatment and outcomes of patients in our institution in the context of previous studies. All patients from 2008 to 2018 who underwent surgical management for hypopharyngeal tumours with pharyngo-laryngo-esophagectomy and flap-based reconstruction were included in the study. Demographic and outcome data were collected, and patient-reported outcomes were solicited from surviving patients using the EORTC QLQ H&N 43 questionnaire. Thirty patients were assessed, in which 12 had gastric pull-ups, 16 had free jejunum flaps, and 2 had free anterolateral thigh flaps. There was a 38% five-year survival rate. Overall, the rates of stricture (10.7%) and fistula (7.1%) were low. The majority of patients (53.6%) returned to a normal diet within three months with a soft or puree diet in 35.7% of patients. Some form of speech was possible in 92.9% of patients. The average questionnaire score for surviving patients was 87.3, with good outcomes related to eating and swallowing, but poorer outcomes for speech and communication. This study showed that outcomes for patients receiving complex reconstruction following hypopharyngeal tumour resection are improving over time. There is still scope for improvement of patient outcomes and refinement of optimum surgical management strategies.