ABSTRACT

This is a special form of laryngeal inflammation which only occurs following radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is a damaging treatment and may lead to infection and inflammation in the laryngeal cartilages. This is most likely where tumours invading cartilage are irradiated, and this is one of the reasons why many surgeons prefer to perform a primary laryngectomy where cartilage is involved with tumour on a CT scan. Not only is there a risk of perichondritis developing after radiotherapy but there is an additional risk if deep biopsies are taken early in the post-radiotherapy period. This is another area of risk which must be balanced against the dangers of failing to diagnose residual disease by the surgeon treating the patient.