Salivary fistula of reconstructed cervical esophagus in hypopharyngeal cancer.

Abstract

In order to obtain a guide line for the best selection of the reconstructive technique of the cervical esophagus after total laryngopharyngectomy for hypopharyngeal cancer, the incidence of salivary fistula was investigated and statistically analyzed in every patient with different local condition that may be embellished mostly in response to the total dose of preoperative radiotherapy.The flaps investigated are DP, slit technique of DP, pectoralis major myocutaneous, skin grafted pectoralis major muscle and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps.As the result of statistical analysis, we conclude that the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap must be utilized as the first choice in patients without preoperative radiotherapy or irradiated by the total dose less than 46 Gy, and that the slit technique of DP is much safer in patients irradiated more than 60 Gy.