The detection of early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in patients following
radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) has increased
with the development of endoscopic technologies. The aim of the current case – control
study was to elucidate the risk factors of serious laryngeal edema, a lethal complication
that occurs during endoscopic resection for ESCC. Among 184 consecutive patients who
were treated by endoscopic resection for ESCC between January 2009 and May 2012, five
of 22 patients with a history of radiotherapy for HNSCC suffered from serious laryngeal
edema, which was not observed in patients who had not undergone radiotherapy. The
susceptibility to serious laryngeal edema in patients with a history of radiotherapy
followed by neck dissection for HNSCC was significantly greater than those without
such histories. Despite the limited number of cases, we suggest that previous radiotherapy
followed by neck dissection for HNSCC might be a predictive factor for serious laryngeal
edema during endoscopic resection.