Application of a thyroid cartilage window technique for transoral resection of early glottic cancer involving the anterior commissure.

[BACKGROUND] Management of early stage glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure is challenging.

[AIMS/OBJECTIVES] This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a thyroid cartilage window (TCW) technique for transoral laser resection of early glottic cancer with involvement of the anterior commissure.

[MATERIAL AND METHODS] Twenty-one patient who underwent a TCW technique for transoral resection early glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure, were retrospectively analyzed. The technical nuances, organ preservation rate and voice outcomes, local and regional recurrence, and perioperative comorbidities, were assessed.

[RESULTS] All 21 patients underwent a TCW technique for resection, both the organ preservation rate and negative margin achieved 100%. The local control rate achieved 100%, and the 5 years recurrence free survival was 90.5%. For two patients with subglottic involvement (9.5%), regional recurrence with confirmation of a positive pre-laryngeal lymph node was observed. Postoperative granuloma was detected in all 21 patients, 13 of whom spontaneously disappeared (61.9%); whereas the remaining 8 patients (38.1%) demonstrated a consistent presence of granuloma more than 12 weeks, and they accepted surgical extirpation of granuloma under surface anesthesia. The laryngeal web developed in all 21 patients, while no dyspnea and local recurrence were present. By comparison with preoperative baseline, postoperative self-assessment voice demonstrated a significant improvement ( = .01), while objective voice indices were not significantly altered ( > .05).

[CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE] TCW technique is a valuable means for transoral resection of early glottic laryngeal cancer involving the anterior commissure, with acceptable voice quality and seemingly low comorbidities.