RUPTURED PEXY AFTER SUPRACRICOID PARTIAL LARYNGECTOMY: A CASE REPORT

Ankara Numune Hospital, Department of ENT, Ankara, Turkey Background: The postoperative complication rate after supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL) is low and comparable to those of other partial laryngectomy techniques. Rupture of the pexy after SCPL is rare and has been mentioned in the literature for three times.
Methods: We present a case with ruptured pexy due to nonossified cricoid cartilage. Revision of the pexis was performed with resection of the transected anterior cricoid arch. Results. The patient was decannulated 35 days after revision surgery. The nasogastric feeding tube was removed in the 7th postoperative day.
Conclusion: It is important to consider the presence of a non-ossified cricoid cartilage and perform the tracheotomy on the 4th-5th tracheal rings in order to prevent the rupture of the pexy after SCPL. In case of the pexy rupture, releasing the epiglottis downwards during the revision surgery facilitates decannulation. If the surgeon does not consider the mentioned points, performing a total laryngectomy may be unavoidable. Keywords : Supracricoid partial laryngectomy, complications, ruptured pexy