title: Voice and speech outcomes with radial forearm free flap-accompanied phonation tube after total pharyngolaryngectomy of hypopharyngeal cancer.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Radial forearm free flap (RFFF)-accompanied phonation tube (PT) for voice and speech restoration after pharyngolaryngectomy is promising, especially in phonation efficacy and intelligibility. It offers not only another safe surgical option but also a satisfactory result for such patients with advanced hypopharyngeal cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We use RFFF with RFFF-accompanied PT for one-stage reconstruction both for tissue defect and voice reconstruction in patients undergoing total pharyngolaryngectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight male patients with advanced hypopharyngeal cancer underwent total pharyngolaryngectomy. Voice restoration was done with RFFF-accompanied PT. Phonation outcomes and speech outcomes of the patients were evaluated and scored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean follow-up time was 13.7 months. All free flaps were successful without perioperative mortality. All the patients were able to produce sound. Phonation efficacy ranged from 70% to >90% postoperatively and 40% to >90% at the last follow-up. The speech intelligibility was graded as moderately good.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. s120185@ms2.mmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Cheng-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jehn-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kang-Chao
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shih-Hsin
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010611:Pharyngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*