title: Continuous negative pressure-flush through a dual tube for the treatment of a complicated pharyngeal fistula: A case report.
abstract: The treatment of pharyngeal fistulas is complicated. It is more difficult to deal with pharyngeal fistula following surgical treatment for hypopharynx carcinoma, particularly in cases of pectoralis major muscle flap repair. The present study describes the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with a highly-differentiated pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma located at the right side of the hypopharynx. The patient underwent a total laryngectomy and a right functional carotid dissection and tracheostomy; this was followed by post-operative radiotherapy. A pharyngeal fistula subsequently developed, but an attempt to repair this with a pectoralis major muscle flap failed. The complicated pharyngeal fistula was treated via continuous negative pressure-flush through a dual tube, without the requirement for incision, daily dressing or antibiotics. The favorable patient outcome represented a positive result, which was also able to reduce the psychological burden of the patient and improve their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ganzhou Tumor Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiangmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Folin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ganzhou Tumor Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ganzhou Tumor Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Keqing
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Ganzhou Tumor Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fufu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Research, Ganzhou Institute of Cancer Research, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shaojin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: continuous negative pressure-flush; dual tube; pectoralis major muscle flap; pharyngeal fistula