Isolated cervical esophageal reconstruction for rare esophageal tumors.
BACKGROUND
Isolated defects in the cervical esophagus in patients who have not undergone total laryngectomy are uncommon. We report 2 cases of rare esophageal tumors requiring reconstruction of the cervical esophagus after tumor resection.


RESULTS
The patients were a 51-year-old woman with an esophageal granular cell tumor and a 54-year-old woman with an esophageal schwannoma. Both defects were reconstructed with a radial forearm flap. A small subclinical leak developed in 1 patient and healed spontaneously within 2 weeks. At 1 year and 2 years of follow-up, both patients were consuming a normal diet and had normal voices.


CONCLUSIONS
A thin and well-vascularized flap such as the radial forearm flap is essential for reconstructing an isolated cervical esophageal defect so as to maximize functional outcome.
Marin
Vincent P
VP
Department of Plastic Surgery, Unit 443, FC8.2000, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030.
Yu
Peirong
P
Weber
Randal S
RS
D044964:Cervicoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery; D016586:Granular Cell Tumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D013524:Surgical Flaps