einstein (São Paulo). 28/Apr/2021;19:eAO5715.

Supracricoid laryngectomy: the impact of senescence on swallowing safety

Andressa Silva de

Freitas

, Guilherme Maia

Zica

, Ana Catarina Alves e

Silva

, Fernando Luiz

Dias

, Emilson Queiroz

Freitas

, Izabella Costa

Santos

DOI: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2021AO5715

ABSTRACT:

Objective:

To investigate the association between aging and the functional aspects of swallowing (laryngeal penetration and laryngotracheal aspiration) in individuals who underwent supracricoid laryngectomy in the late period and without complaints.

Methods:

A total of 70 patients, 56 (80%) aged >60 years and 14 (20%) <60 years, under outpatient follow-up, after cancer treatment and with no complaints of swallowing, performed functional evaluation using the swallowing videofluoroscopy. Image classification was performed using the penetration-aspiration scale developed by Rosenbek. The χ² test and logistic regression were applied to associate the age categories to the outcomes (penetration and aspiration).

Results:

Patients aged over 60 years had a higher prevalence of penetration (24.29%) and aspiration (48.57%) than patients aged under 60 years. In this sample, aspiration was associated with age. Patients aged over 60 years were more likely to present penetration (27% more) during swallowing than patients under 60 years. Patients aged over 60 years had an approximately four-fold greater probability of laryngotracheal aspiration than patients aged under 60 years.

Conclusion:

In patients without complaints of swallowing in the late postoperative period of supracricoid laryngectomy, there is a greater probability of laryngotracheal aspiration in elderly aged over 60 years than in individuals under 60 years.