[100 Years of laryngectomy (author's transl)]

Abstract

Since the first laryngectomy was performed in 1873 by Billroth in Vienna, this method has been continually further improved. A horizontal laryngectomy with preservation of the air passages was performed in 1957 by Majer and Rieder and named cricohyoidopexy. Cricohyoidopexy consists basically of the removal of the thyroid cartilage and the soft laryngeal tissues prior to pulling the preserved cricoid cartilage upwards and fixing it to the epiglottis and the hyoid bone. This operation ensures that the air passages, the voice, and deglutition are preserved. Serafini and Arsian have extended this technique to a tracheohyoidopexy, which has been successfully performed in many cases. Certain aspects posing problems and creating difficulties during these operative procedures, such as respiration, deglutition and the voice are discussed. These methods of functional laryngectomy, however, have only a limited indication.