Vertical partial laryngectomy: a critical analysis of local recurrence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate local recurrence following vertical partial laryngectomies in 416 patients with either T1N0M0 or T2N0M0 glottic carcinoma. Local failure was reported according to the T stage, the precise tumor location within each stage, the true vocal cord mobility, and the surgical procedure performed. No local recurrences were observed among 42 patients who underwent thyrotomy and cordectomy when the tumor was confined to the middle third of the mobile true vocal cord. Local failure occurred in 8 of 111 (7.2%) patients in whom hemilaryngectomy was performed for tumors confined to one mobile true vocal cord. There was a diverse group of lesions within each T stage that responded differently to the surgical approaches. The differences in the initial recurrence rates are discussed in terms of careful preoperative assessment and choice of surgical technique for early glottic carcinoma. 