Study Design Technical Note Objective Pharyngoesophageal injury in the setting of previous anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a devastating complication with no standard corrective treatment protocol. Reconstruction can thus be a complex endeavour often leading to treatment failure, recurrent pharyngoesophageal fistula and need for multiple surgical procedures. The authors present our novel approach to free tissue reconstruction of these injuries. Methods We utilized a bulk adipofascial flap to completely obliterate the retropharyngeal space and correct the pharyngoesophageal defect. Results An adipofascial flap facilitates complete separation of the injured pharyngeal/oesophageal mucosa form the cervical spine and any retained hardware. Conclusions In our hands, this technique has allowed successful repair of complex pharyngoesophageal injuries after previous ACDF procedures which includes resumption of normal oral intake.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.