[Tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of circumference pharyngoesophageal defects].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in the reconstruction of circumferential defects following resection for locally advanced hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
From Dec. 2004 to Oct. 2008, 30 patients underwent immediate reconstruction by tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for circumferential defects following resection of primary tumours. Among them, 22 were hypopharyngeal carcinoma, 7 were cervical esophageal carcinoma and one was recurrent laryngeal carcinoma involved the hypopharyngeal lumen. Five of 30 patients had received previous radiotherapy and three had failed in the previous surgical procedure. In this series, 12 patients had total pharyngolaryngectomy and 18 had total pharyngolaryngectomy and partial cervical esophagectomy.


RESULTS
Postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistula formation occurred in 4 patients, 2 of them with previous radiotherapy and 2 with diabetes, and the fistulae healed later. Two patients developed anastomotic strictures at the upper junction, but they had good responses to dilatation treatment and had satisfactory oral intake. The postoperative follow-up time ranged from 8 to 56 months. Median follow-up was 18 months. One-year survival rate was 71.4% and three-year survival rate was 42.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
The tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap is a reliable procedure to reconstruct hypopharyngeal circumferential defects following resection of advanced hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal carcinoma. This method may be the optimal choice for the reconstruction of hypopharyngeal circumferential defects following resection of recurrent carcinoma. The incidence of fistula and stenosis could be kept at an acceptable level.
Xu
Wei
W
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China. xwhns@yahoo.com.cn
Lü
Zheng-hua
ZH
Zhang
Jun
J
Zou
Ji-dong
JD
Li
Hui-zheng
HZ
Cao
Hong-yuan
HY
Wang
Hai-bo
HB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000637:transplantation*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps