Reconstruction after Surgical Treatment of the Hypopharyngeal Cancer: Forearm Free Flap and Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap

Lee, Bum Sik; Song, Young Bok; Kim, Byung Kook; Park, Chan Il

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The comparison of information and complication after pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using the forearm free flap and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap was rarely reported.
OBJECTIVES
To compare the information(duration of the procedure, nasogastric tube feeding and hospital stay etc) and complications after pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using the forearm free flap and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, we reviewed the records of 19 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. MATERIALS: The records of 19 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of hypopharyx between June 1989 and November 1995 at Chungnam National University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Ten of 19 patients were reconstructed with forearm free flap and the others were reconstructed with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.
RESULTS
In 10 patient using forearm free flap, the duration of procedure, the duration of hospital stay, duration of nasogastric tube feeding and viability of flap were 13.7 hours, 38.5 days, 24 days and 80% respectively. In 9 patients using pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, the duration of procedure, the duration of hospital stay, the duration of nasogastric tube feeding and viability of duration were 7.38 hours, 29.1 days, 19 days and 88.9% respectively. There was no significant difference in complications between the groups.
CONCLUSION
The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap was slightly superior to forearm free flap in aspect of the duration of procedure, hospital stay, duration of nasogastric tube feeding and viability. There was no statistically significant difference of complications. But we think that the more cases were required to compare the forearm free flap and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.