Maziar Motiee Langroudi - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mehrdad Jafari - Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Roxana Safari - Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mehraveh Sadeghi Ivraghi - Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
Alireza Mazarei - Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Introduction:Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most critical head and neck cancers. Total laryngectomy is one of the main options for treating laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma responsible for forming pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF), which increases morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine PCF incidence and identify the factors associated with this complication.Materials and Methods:In a retrospective cohort study, ۸۵ patients who underwent total laryngectomy at Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran, Iran) from ۲۰۱۱ to ۲۰۱۹ were selected as the study population. The presence/absence of PCF, weight, anemia status (Hb <۱۲.۵ g/dl), renal dysfunction status (GFR <۹۰ mL/min/۱.۷۳m۲), malnutrition status (Albumin <۳.۵ g/dl), and marginal involvement status was extracted from postoperative medical records. The data were analyzed using SPSS ver. ۲۶.۰. Results:The overall incidence of PCF was ۱۱.۸%. The mean ±SD of the duration of hospitalization in patients with PCF was ۳۲.۴۰ ±۱۴.۷۵ days, and in patients without PCF was ۱۶.۸۹ ±۷.۰۵ days (P = ۰.۰۰۹). The mean ±SD of time to develop a fistula was ۷.۴ ±۳.۷۴ days. Conclusions:The statuses of anemia, malnutrition, renal dysfunction, surgical margin, history of radiotherapy, pharynx closure, gender, and age were unrelated to the incidence of PCF. Further studies with a larger sample size are recommended.

Pharyngocutaneous fistula, Laryngectomy, incidence, Risk factors