A modified vertical pressure bandage to prevent pharyngocutaneous fistula after total laryngectomy

Objective: Pharyngocutaneous Fistula (PCF) is one of the most common and challenging postoperative complications after Total Laryngectomy (TLE). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the modified Vertical Pressure Bandage (VPB) on the occurrence of Pharyngocutaneous Fistula (PCF) after Total Laryngectomy (TLE) for Head and Neck (H&N) cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with H&N cancer who underwent TLE at our hospital between January 2010 and January 2021. The patients were grouped according to whether modified VPB was used or not after surgery. The primary outcome was the occurrence of PCF. The secondary outcomes were the interval from operation to PCF, the healing time of PCF, and the length of hospital stay.

Results: This study included 133 patients: 82 (aged 57.93 ± 10.18 years, 80 males) in the VPB group and 51 (aged 54.98 ± 9.22 years, 51 males) in the conventional group. Patients who received the modified VPB had a significantly lower occurrence of PCF compared with those did not (9.8% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.001). In addition, the patients in the VPB group had similar interval from the operation to the PCF (p = 0.374) and healing time of PCF (p = 0.256) but a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (p < 0.001) compared with those in conventional group. Moreover, multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age, preoperative radiotherapy, postoperative hematocrit < 35%, VPB (RR = 0.165, 95% CI 0.057‒0.474, p = 0.001) was an independent protective factor for PCF.

Conclusion: The modified VPB might reduce the occurrence of PCF after TLE for H&N cancers.

Level of evidence: Level 4.