Background: We compared the outcome of postoperative unilateral cervical nodes radiotherapy (UL-RT) vs bilateral cervical nodes plus total mucosal irradiation (COMP-RT) in the management of head and neck carcinoma of unknown primary (HNCUP).Methods: HNCUP, defined by the absence of primary despite a PET-CT combined with a panendoscopy, were treated with curative intent by initial ipsilateral neck dissection. Sixty-nine patients with unilateral HNCUP were included: 23 received UL-RT while 46 received COMP-RT. Carcinologic outcomes and long-term quality of life (QOL) according to the QOL Questionnaire for Head and Neck 35 were assessed. Results: Within 6.3 years of median follow-up, there was no significant difference in primary tumor emergence rate (P = .68), cervical node recurrence rate (P = .34), or overall survival (P = .33) between UL-RT and COMP-RT groups.A trend toward QOL improvement was observed in the UL-RT group. Conclusion: UL-RT seems to provide similar outcomes as COMP-RT in unilateral HNCUP management.
K E Y W O R D Scarcinoma unknown primary, head and neck, postoperative radiotherapy, quality of life
Background
The milking patency test (MPT) is widely used to assess the patency of microanastomosis, despite it being proven to be a traumatic test.
Methods
We performed microanastomoses with intentional two‐wall stitches and asked senior microsurgeons to evaluate the permeability of the anastomoses by looking first at the results of the MPT, then according to artery pulsation.
Results
Microsurgeons were all accurate in evaluating normal or clamped anastomoses. But in anastomoses with defects, the MPT was considered normal 94%, 85%, and 73%. MPT has a positive predictive value of 100% but with a negative predictive value of 27.5%. Observation of the artery pulsation distal to the anastomosis gave similar results.
Conclusions
Our experiment shows that the two‐wall stitches on arterial anastomoses are hardly detected by an MPT. The observed pulsation of the artery gives the same results and could be used instead, without damaging the vessels.
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