Tracheostomy and peristomal recurrence.

Emergency tracheostomy prior to laryngectomy for laryngeal carcinoma has been associated with peristomal recurrence. Is the peristomal recurrence caused by the tracheostomy per se, or is it due to the association of tracheostomy with subglottic tumours and locally advanced tumours? This study examines the association between tracheostomy, as an independent variable, and peristomal recurrence. Forty-three patients with T3 glottic carcinomas and treated by a combination of total laryngectomy and radiotherapy were studied. The difference in peristomal recurrence between the tracheostomy and non-tracheostomy patients was not statistically significant. Nor was there a correlation between the time interval between tracheostomy and laryngectomy, and the incidence of peristomal recurrence. It is concluded that tracheostomy, as an independent variable, does not cause peristomal recurrence.