Suprahyoid pharyngotomy

Suprahyoid pharyngotomy is a useful surgical technique designed to enable direct visualization and excision of carefully selected benign and malignant tumors arising in the base of the tongue and the posterior pharyngeal wall. Selection of patients with adequate functional and pulmonary capacity, as well as accurate preoperative evaluation of tumor extent, will enable a subset of such patients to be candidates for this technique. Advantages of this surgical approach include the potential for excellent exposure and tumor clearance, reliable postoperative function, and excellent cosmesis. Achieving these results requires adherence to details in evaluation and surgical technique, as described in this article.