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. 2024 Jan 5;10(1):43-48.
doi: 10.1002/wjo2.155. eCollection 2024 Mar.

The use of Montgomery salivary bypass tubes and pharyngocutaneous fistula following salvage laryngectomy

Courtney B Shires  1 , Mackenzie Latour  2 , Merry Sebelik  3 , Karuna Dewan  2
Affiliations

The use of Montgomery salivary bypass tubes and pharyngocutaneous fistula following salvage laryngectomy

Courtney B Shires et al. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. .

Abstract

Objectives: Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) is the most common complication to follow total laryngectomy (TL) and is associated with increases in length of hospital stay and with a need for revision surgery or readmission, as well as with delays in return to oral diet. Patients who require salvage TL (STL) or primary (chemo)radiation therapy are at higher risk for developing PCF. Due to the quality-of-life burden of PCF on patients, limiting this occurrence is crucial.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing STL with placement of Montgomery salivary bypass tube (MSBT)™ for at least 2 weeks duration between 2013 and 2017 at a single institution. Our patients all underwent free flap reconstruction. Our primary outcome of interest was development of PCF. Secondary outcomes included demographics, previous treatment, base of tongue (BOT) involvement, extent of defect, concurrent neck dissection (ND), and margin status. Univariate χ 2 analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with PCF.

Results: Forty-four patients underwent STL with Montgomery tube placement and free flap reconstruction. Eight developed PCF (18.2%). The average age was 61.6 years; 36 patients were male (81.8%), whereas eight patients were female (18.2%). There was no association between PCF and previous chemoradiation versus radiation (15.8% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.30), BOT involvement versus not (11.1 vs. 22.2%, P < 0.38), circumferential versus partial defect (18.8% vs. 17.9%, P < 0.94), ND versus none (10% vs. 25%, P < 0.20), or margin status.

Conclusion: PCF complicated 18.2% of STL cases at our institution and was not associated with differences in primary treatment modality, presence of concomitant ND, extent of pharyngeal defect, BOT involvement, or positive frozen or permanent surgical margin.

Keywords: Montgomery; free flap reconstruction; pharyngocutaneous fistula; salivary bypass tube; salvage total laryngectomy; total laryngectomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Inverting multilayer neopharyngeal closure after placement of the Montgomery salivary bypass tube™ that was employed for all patients in this study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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