[Study of in-patient hospital stay following total laryngectomy: multivariable retrospective analysis of a 442 total laryngectomies].

INTRODUCTION Pharyngocutaneous salivary fistula is the most common complication following total laryngectomy. Fistulae can lead to prolonged hospitalization and increased patient morbidity. OBJECTIVE To investigate those factors related to increased length of stay following total laryngectomy. To further analyze those related with fistula after surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study on 442 patients who undenwent total laryngectomy. Study of the covariance (ANCOVA). Uni and multivariate analysis of factors related to salivary fistula. RESULTS We identified alcohol intake, year of surgery and salivaly fistula as factors independently related with increased length of stay at the hospital. Factors independently related with fistula were alcohol intake, tumors affecting tongue base or pyriform sinus, surgeon, fever in the inmediate postoperative period, or wound closure using fibrin blue (negative association with the later). CONCLUSIONS Pharyngocutaneous salivary fistula increases three times hospital length of stay in patients undergoing total laryngectomy. We identified the surgeon as the factor more closely related with this complication, and we suggest the need to create well-defined head and neck cancer groups to deal with these surgical procedures.