Abstract

This is a retrospective study in which 21 charts of patients submitted to total laringectomy in 1996 at the University of São Paulo Hospital were analyzed. In order to assess the complications, they were divided in immediate, mediate and late complications. Among the 21 reports, only 3 patients did not present postoperative complications. Five patients presented immediate complications and the most frequent were: edema (40%) and hematoma (40%); 14 patients presented mediate complications such as dehiscence of suture and fistula (28.4%) and infection of operative cut and dehiscence of suture (14.2%); with respect to late complications, they were found in 11 patients and the most frequent was the dysphagia (54.5%). This study reviewed the most frequent postoperative complications in total laringectomies and this knowledge will base nurses’s actions with patients submitted to this surgery regarding perioperative care and rehabilitation.

Key words: postoperative complications; total laryngectomy; laryngeal cancer