Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 29, Issue 3 127-131, Copyright © 1999 by Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
T Saito, S Den, K Hiraga, K Uchiyama and C Carlsson
BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer of the tongue or larynx require
glossectomies or laryngectomies and subsequent reconstruction. These
procedures remove part of the patient's upper airway. In cancer of the
tongue, the removed part of the airway is substituted by a flap of their
skin. Post-operatively, it is possible that the patients have problems
respiring comfortably. In addition to this, long surgical procedures may
simply interfere with their circadian rhythm. To elucidate the possible
change in their post-operative respiration, we monitored the patient's
respiratory pattern with an apnea monitor. METHODS: We attached an apnea
monitor to the patients and recorded their respiratory pattern and arterial
oxygen saturation. The patients were monitored for a total of five days:
three days prior to the operation, one day before the operation, the day of
operation, two days after, and on the fourth day after the operation. The
period of monitoring was from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next morning.
RESULTS: Sixteen patients completed this study. The patients whose tube was
extubated after glossectomy showed frequent apnea, low mean oxygen
saturation and low comfort score as compared to the patients with
tracheostomy after laryngectomy. Because two failed cases of free skin flap
were among the former, it is possible that the frequent apnea is a factor
of failed free skin graft after glossectomy and laryngectomy. CONCLUSION:
Further studies are required to improve the patient's respiration during
their sleep after tracheal extubation in glossectomy.
CASE REPORTS
The difference between delayed extubation and tracheostomy in post-operative sleep apnea after glossectomy or laryngectomy
Department of Anesthesia, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. toshis@nms.ac.jp
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