The incidence of hypopharyngeal stenosis after surgery for laryngeal cancer.

Hypopharyngeal stenosis is a frequent complication of laryngectomy and radiotherapy in patients treated for carcinoma. In a retrospective study of patients treated in the University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals, hypopharyngeal stenosis was more frequent after laryngectomy with partial pharyngectomy than after laryngectomy alone and occurred more commonly in lesions of the pyriform fossa than in glottic tumors. Neck disease and inclusion of radical neck dissection were both significant factors in the development of hypopharyngeal stenosis. Recurrent tumor was significantly more prevalent in these patients.