title: Clinical application of decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane grafts for closing post-laryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistulas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common pathological type among the cancers of the larynx. Standard treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and laryngectomy. Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a common complication of laryngectomy. We hypothesized that decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane can be an effective, non-invasive method of treating pharyngocutaneous fistula.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed after treatment in a prospective trial. After preoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and total or extended laryngectomy, primary wound healing occurred in 42 (62.7%) patients. Pharyngocutaneous fistula developed in 8 (11.9%) patients. Decellularized and lyophilized human amnion/chorion membrane grafts were used to reconstruct the fistulas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average time for the full healing of the wound in all patients after transplantation of these grafts was 18 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The advantages of using these grafts over other existing methods of pharyngocutaneous fistula treatment are that they are non-invasive, prevent donor morbidity, and enable management of the wound without using classical wound gauze. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:538-543. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Zurab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kakabadze
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Konstantine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mardaleishvili
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loladze
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ivane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Javakhishvili
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Konstantine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chakhunasvili
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Lika
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karalashvili
authors.affiliation: Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Natia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sukhitashvili
authors.affiliation: Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Gocha
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chutkerashvili
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.|Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakabadze
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Tbilisi, Georgia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chakhunasvili
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D002823:Chorion / Q000637:transplantation*; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005612:Freeze Drying; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: decellularized human amniotic membrane; pharyngocutaneous fistula; squamous cell carcinoma; total laryngectomy