Organ preservation surgery for laryngeal cancer in a trombone player

Abstract

Introduction. Modern treatments for early glottic carcinoma achieve high rates of local control and long-term survival, but potential side effects of some of these treatments have a substantial impact on a patient’s quality of life. There is a small quantity of available scientific research on the effects of organ-preservation surgery on musicians, highlighting the challenge of balancing functional outcomes with their occupational demands. Case report. We present a successful surgical treatment of a mid-membranous left vocal fold squamous cell carcinoma (T1a stage) in a professional trombonist with a history of many years of smoking. Due to suboptimal exposure during initial microlaryngoscopy, open cordectomy was performed for tumor removal instead of transoral laser microsurgery. After the operation and the proper rehabilitation, the patient continued to play the brass instrument unhindered and managed to fulfill all the obligations of a professional musician in a national orchestra. Conclusion. Selecting a method for the treatment of glottic cancers in professional musicians who play brass instruments remains challenging due to limited literature and the potential harm to the ability of performance and the musician’s career. Partial open laryngectomies for laryngeal cancer treatment are shown to be feasible without compromising the musician’s performance.