title: Free jejunal autograft reconstruction after total pharyngolaryngeal resection.
abstract: A free jejunal autograft reconstruction after debulking high stage larynx and hypopharynx tumors has become a popular method in our 10-year experience. We retrospectively studied the efficacy and outcome. Nine patients (M/F, 8/1) underwent a total of 10 free jejunal autograft reconstructions. The median age was 58.6 years (range, 48-78 years). The median hospital stay was 32 days (range, 13-67 days) and the graft failure rate was 10% (1/10), 9/10 successfully retransplanted. Postoperative mortality rate was 0%; one patient was lost during follow-up, one patient died of lung cancer, three died of local recurrence, and four patients have no evidence of disease at this moment (mean follow-up of 16.5 months; range, 9-41 months). Salivation fistulas were present postoperatively in four patients: one closed spontaneously and three closed after surgery. In our hands, the free jejunal graft is the preferred method for single-stage reconstruction of circumferential defects of the gullet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Middelheim General Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium. paulisteven@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Steven A M
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pauli
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vervloessem
authors.forename: Pol E J
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Vannieuwenhuyse
authors.forename: Dominique M L R
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: De Roover
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmelzer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D044964:Cervicoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000637:transplantation*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010611:Pharyngectomy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous