Professor Liu Shenlin's Experience in Treating Postoperative Pharyngeal Fistula Complications of Laryngocarcinoma

Based on the theories of visceral manifestation of Chinese medicine, such as "lung qi connecting to the larynx" and "earth generating metal or spleen (mother-organ) generating lung (child-organ)", Professor Liu Shenlin, a national distinguished Chinese medicine doctor, concludes that the etiology and mechanism of pharyngeal fistula complications after laryngocarcinoma surgery is the loss of local organs, damage to lung qi, and broken metal failing to sound. The evolution of the disease process is characterized by disorder of the child-organ affecting the mother-organ, the disease of the lung affecting the spleen, and weakened body resistance with inability to drive pathogenic qi out, which leads to the retention of cancer toxins inside. We advocate that the treatment should be based on a holistic concept, pay attention to the interrelationship between the internal organs, reinforce the mother of deficient organs, and follow the principle of treating the root and branch simultaneously. In addition, the therapeutic principle and methods include clearing the lung and resolving toxins, dispelling pathogenic qi and reducing the swelling, cultivating the earth and generating gold, nourishing the spleen and stomach, adding and subtracting medicines with the change of syndromes, as well as treating both inside and outside, in order to promote the transformation of qi and blood, repair the muscle tissue, dissipate local inflammation, and accelerate the healing of pharyngeal fistula.