OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of modified frontolateral partial laryngectomy without tracheostomy in the treatment for early laryngeal cancer or severe atypical hyperplasia of the true vocal cord.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 41 patients treated in the past 6 years with modified frontolateral partial laryngectomy without tracheostomy was carried out. There were 39 early laryngeal cancers of the lateral vocal cord with 34 in T1a stage and 5 in T2, and the remain 2 patients had severe atypical hyperplasia of the lateral vocal cord. An ipsilateral false vocal cord flap was used in 39 patients and cervical skin flap in 2 to reconstruct the defect after resection of the true vocal cord. In order to get a large laryngeal cavity, a reverted sternohyoid fascia was used to cover the front area, which made the new laryngeal lumen become ladder-shaped.

RESULTSThe incisions of all 41 patients healed up by first intention. The only postoperative complication was subcutaneous emphysema, which developed postoperatively in 9 patients, but subsided prior to discharge. The estimated 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were all 100%. No patients died during the postoperative period.

CONCLUSIONModified frontolateral partial laryngectomy without tracheostomy is effective with a high rate of success in eradicating early or selected invasive glottic squamous cell carcinoma or severe atypical hyperplasia of the true vocal cord.