Mary Elizabeth de SantanaI; Namie Okino SawadaII
IFaculty, Federal University of Pará, and State University of Pará, Brazil, e-mail: betemary@terra.com.br IIAssociate Professor, University of Sao Paulo at Ribeirao Preto College of Nursing, WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing Research Development, Brazil, e-mail: sawada@eerp.usp.br

Nursing care to patients after total laryngectomy should be based on scientific knowledge. Evidence-based practice is a type of approach that stimulates the use of research results in clinical practice. This study presents a systematic review that aimed to identify the main treatments for pharyngocutaneous fistulae after total laryngectomy. Articles were selected from five databases: Pubmed, Cinahl, Biomednet Research Tools, Cochrane Library and Lilacs. The review sample consisted of 37 articles. After analyzing the articles included in the review, results showed that conservative treatment is commonly used for pharyngocutaneous fistulae, recommending intensive hygiene and wound treatment. The use of research results in clinical practice will grant greater consistency to nurses' actions in care for patients with pharyngocutaneous fistulae.

Descriptors: laryngeal neoplasms; laryngectomy; postoperative complications