OBJECTIVE: To explore the principles of donor site selection for defects of the hypopharynx and/or cervical-esophagus based on a novel defect classification system and treatment outcome of this series. METHOD: Thirty-nine patients underwent reconstruction of their defects of the hypopharynx and/or cervical-esophagus from January 2007 to June 2012 were retrospectively studied. 23 hypopharngeal and/or cervical-esophageal defects were circumferential or near circumferential (group A), 16 were partial(group B). 22 patients had compromised neck vascular status, while the other 17 patients had normal neck vascular status. Selection of the donor sites was based on extent of the defects and neck vascular status. Donor sites for reconstruction of the defects of group A included anterolateral thigh flap (n = 8), gastric pull-up (n = 6), radial forearm flap (n = 3), jejunum flap (n = 3), and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (n = 3). For goup B, Infrahyoid myocutaceous flaps, radial forearm flaps, and pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps were used in 8, 3, and 5 cases, respectively. Flap survival, surgical complications, function outcome, and tumor control were observed. RESULT: Overall complication rate was 12.8% (5/39) in this series. In group A, three flap necroses occurred in jejunum flap (n = 1), anterolateral thigh flap (n = 1), and pectoralis major flap (n = 1). All these flap necroses occurred in the compromised neck vascular status group. One case of pharyngeal fistula without flap necrosis occurred in Group B. All except 2 patients restored oral intake postoperatively; 16 patients with laryngeal preservation had good phonation postoperatively. 2-year and 3-year survival of this series were 72.1% and 65.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION Selection of an appropriate donor site for reconstruction of the defects of hypopharynx and /or cervical-esophagus should be based on the extent of the defects, neck vascular status, and clinical features of the flap. Individualized donor site selection for hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal defects reconstruction can result in good clinical outcome.
Adult ; Aged ; Esophagoplasty ; methods ; Esophagus ; surgery ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Hypopharynx ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; blood supply ; Necrosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; pathology ; Transplant Donor Site ; anatomy & histology ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To compare and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the forearm skin flap and the lateral femoral skin flap in the repair of oral and maxillofacial defects.Methods Of the 34 patients of oral and maxillofacial tumor resection received postopera-tive reconstruction of maxillofacial defects treatment,18 patients repaired by forearm flap( forearm flap group) ,16 patients repaired by antero-lateral thigh flap ( anterolateral thigh flap group) .The clinical effect and the restoration of two groups after surgery were compared.Results The survival rate of disposable surgical flap in forearm flap group was 94.44%,the survival rate of the anterolateral thigh flap group was 87.50%.The difference between two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05).The difference of swallowing function in 3 months after surgery between two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05).The difference of survival quality score between the two groups was not statistically significant (P >0.05) in 6 months after surgery.The scar proliferation rate (27.78%), pigment deposition rate (88.89%), temporary sexual dysfunction rate(66.67%),a permanent disability rate (27.78%) of forearm flap group were significantly higher than those of the femoral anterolateral flap group patients (P<0.05).Conclusion The forearm skin flap and the lateral femoral skin flap have a good clincal effect on the repair of oral and maxillofacial defects,and the incidence of complications of the femoral anterior lateral femoral flap is lower.

Objective:To develop a modified rat laryngeal transplantation model to improve the survival rate of recipients.Methods: Eighty Class Ⅱ isogeneic F344 rats,weighing 250-350 g,were randomly divided into 2 groups(n=40).The control group adopted the Strome model.The allograft used for the experimental group preserved ascending pharyngeal artery,which formed a complex allograft together with tongue base,larynx and pharyngolarynx.End-to-end anastomosis was performed between both allograft common carotid arteries and anterior neck veins.The patency rate and survival rate of the allograft of the 2 groups were compared.Results: The artery,vein patency rate and survival rate were 30%,15%,and 30% in control group,and 75%,65%,and 80% in experimental group,respectively(P

Objective To evaluate the pattern of lateral cervical metastases and to investigate the risk factors for lateral cervical lymph node metastases in paoiuary thyroid carcinoma patients with clinical negative lateral neck lymph node.Methods 73 patients with paoiuary thyroid carcinoma who underwent prophylactic lateral neck dissections(level Ⅱ-Ⅵ or level Ⅱ-ⅣandⅥ) were reviewed retrospectively on their medical records paoiuary thyroid carcinoma.None of patients in this study had a clinically positive lymph node.Neck dissection specimens were obtained for histological analysis for node metastasis with respect to the individual neck levels.Results Occult metastases in lateral neck were observed in 12(16.4 ％)patients.9.6 ％,0,13.6 ％,9.6 ％,0,4.8 ％ and 42.4 ％ patients had histologically positive lymph nodes in levels Ⅱa,Ⅱb,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Va,Vband Ⅵ respectively.In multivariate analysis,lymphatic metastases in level Ⅵ was associated with lateral neck metastasis(OR=7.3,P=0.020)in cN0 patients with paoiuary thyroid carcinoma.Conclusion Levels Ⅲ,Ⅱa and Ⅳwere the most common stages showing occult lymph node metastases.Prophylactic lateral neck dissections may be omitted in the treatment of cN0 PTC patients ff level Ⅵ lymphatic metastases are not found on histological exam.

Objective To compare the treatment outcome of underwent surgery plus radiotherapy and radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy plus salvage surgery for stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ laryngeal carcinoma,to investigate an optimized treatment for the patients of stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ laryngeal carcinoma.Methods Clinical data from 103 patients with stage Ⅲ (39 cases) or stage Ⅳ (64 cases) laryngeal carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into surgery plus radiotherapy group (S±R,46 cases) and radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy plus salvage surgery group (R±S,57 cases).Overall survival,relapse free survival,and laryngeal preservation rate were used to compare the treatment outcome between two groups.Multivariate regression models were used to analyze the independent factors for survival and laryngeal preservation rate.Results Survival rate was higher in S±R group than in R±S group [2 year overall survival/relapse free survival 74.7 ％ (34/46) / 72.4 ％ (33/46) vs 46.4 ％ (26/57) / 40.9 ％ (23/57),P ＜ 0.05].Laryngeal preservation rate was higher in R±S group than in S±R group [93.0 ％ (15/46) vs 32.6 ％ (53/57),P ＜ 0.05].Multivariate analysis demonstrated that treatment modality and T stage were independent factors for long-term survival,while treatment modality was the only an independent factor for laryngeal preservation rate.Conclusions Surgery plus radiotherapy result in better survival and lower laryngeal preservation rate than radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy plus salvage surgery in treatment of stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ laryngeal carcinoma.Surgery plus radiotherapy should be the first choice for treatment of locally advanced laryngeal carcinoma.Improvement of the quality of life could be achieved by laryngeal preservation surgery and phonation reconstruction procedures.

Objective To evaluate if Ⅵ region lymph nodes metastasis status can be a reliable indicator in prediction of lateral lymph nodes metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with negative cervical lymph nodes (cN0).Methods Retrospectively reviewed the medical records from January 2003 to October 2011 of 73 patients with PTC who underwent prophylactic lateral neck dissection (Ⅱ-Ⅴ region or Ⅱ-Ⅳ region).The relationship between cervical lymph nodes metastasis and lateral lymph nodes metastasis was assessed.Results The rate of lateral lymph nodes metastasis was 16.4％(12/73).The rate of Ⅵ region lymph nodes metastasis was 42.5％(31/73).Multivariate analysis showed that Ⅵ region lymph nodes metastasis was the risk factor of lateral lymph nodes metastasis in cN0 patients with PTC(OR =7.3,P=0.020).Conclusion Ⅵ region lymph nodes metastasis status can be a reliable indicator of lateral lymph nodes metastasis in cN0 patients with PTC.

Objective To report the clinical results and the advantages/disadvantages of anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) and forearm flap (FAF) in reconstruction of head and neck defect after cancer ablation. Methods 20 FAFs and 12 ALTs were performed to repair the head and neck tumor ablation defects. Of the 20 FAFs, 7 were used for repair of the through and through buccal defects, 4 for circumferential bypopharyngeal defects, 2 for plate defects, 1 for parotid area skin defect, 4 for floor of the mouth defects, and 2 for defect, of the base of the tongue, while of the 12 ALTs, 3 were used for repair of the defects of the base of the tongue, 4 for plate defects, and 5 for the floor of the mouth and/or lower gum defects. Survival of the flaps, function of the recipient site, and impact to the donor site were compared between these two groups to analyze the advantages/disadvantsges and key technique details of these two flaps. Results 19 FAFs totally survived. Vascular crisis occurred in 2 cases of FAF, of which 1 flap survived after conservative treatment, while the other 1 developed partial necrosis. All the 12 ALTs survived, without vascular crisis. 2 of the 14 planed ALTs were abandoned and replaced by FAFs, of which 1 because of absence of the perforating branch and the other 1 because of injury of the perforating branch. Secondary defects of the ALTs could be closed primarily, while secondary defects of the FAFs should be closed with skin grafts. Conlusion Both ALT and FAF can be performed with high survival rate. Each has its own advantages. Selection of the donor site deponds on situation of the defect and purpose of the reconstruction.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of a deep circumflex iliac artery based iliac-internal oblique musculofascial chimeric flap (DCIA-IIOF) in reconstruction of complex oromandibular defect. Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2015, DCIA-IIOFs were used to repair complex oromandibular defects in 11 patients. There were 8 males and 3 females, with an age of 27-75 years (median, 56 years). Original disease was lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma in 7 cases (T 3N 1M 0 in 2 cases, T 3N 2M 0 in 1 case, T 4N 0M 0 in 2 cases, and T 4N 2M 0 in 2 cases), osteoradionecrosis after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in 2 cases, central mandibular squamous cell carcinoma in 1 case (T 4N 0M 0), and mandibular malignant fibrous histiocytoma in 1 case. The length of mandibular bone defects ranged from 7 to 10 cm (mean, 8 cm), and the area of the mucosal defects ranged from 5 cm×3 cm to 7 cm×4 cm. Preoperative ultrasonic identification of the DCIA and its ascending branch was routinely performed. The DCIA-IIOF was harvested by using an anterograde dissection technique, of which the iliac island was used for segmental mandibular defect repair and the musculofascial island for soft tissue and mucosal defect repair. Results: All 11 cases were followed up 15-75 months (median, 37 months). All flaps survived after operation, without necrosis of both iliac island and oblique internal musculofascial island. One patient had a mild submandibular infection which healed after wound drainage and intravenous antibiotics. At 1 month after operation, the color and texture of the musculofascial island were similar to oral mucosa without contracture, and the occluding relation was good for all patients. At 6 months after operation, the mouth opening hardly improved in 2 patients who had osteoradionecrosis; 1 patient who underwent postoperative radiotherapy had restriction of mouth opening; the remaining 8 patients had normal month opening and normal diet. Three patients died of cancer recurrence, 2 patients died of other diseases (encephalorrhagia in 1 case and myocardial infarction in 1 case), and the others survived without recurrence during follow-up. No patient developed abdominal hernia during follow-up. Conclusion : DCIA-IIOF is a reliable flap in reconstruction of complex oromandibular defects. The occluding relation after operation is good and the mucosal lining is soft. This technique provides an effective option for moderate complex oromandibular defects repair.

[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to compare the quality of life between patients who
underwent a tongue reconstruction with radial forearm flap (RFF) and infrahyoid myocutaneous flap (IHMCF) after hemiglossectomy for their tongue cancers, and to figure out an optimal reconstructive method for the defects resulted from hemiglossectomy.METHODSA non-randomized case-control study was performed on 24 patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma who underwent a standard hemiglossectomy combined with perfectly tongue reconstruction from June 2005 to June 2012. All of the cases were without tongue base invasion. Of the 24 cases, 19 had T2 disease, 5 had T3 disease, and they were divided into RFF group (n=10) and IHMCF group (n=14). The quality of life were evaluated one year after operation using EORTC-QLQ30 and FACT-H&N35 and compared between the two groups.RESULTSThe scores were comparable between the two group with regard to all domains of EORTC-QLQ30,with all P values>0.05.The scores of swallowing(P=0.005), speech (P=0.008), teeth (P=0.014), and cough (P=0.009) domains were significantly higher in IHMCF group than in RFF group, with P value of 0.005, 0.008, 0.014 and 0.009 respectively, while the other domains of FACT-H&N35 were comparable between the two groups, with allP values>0.05.CONCLUSIONOverall quality of life was similar in the two groups. Oral function domains were better in IHMCF group than in RFF group. When guarantee of flap survival is available, IHMCF could be used as a good alternative flap to RFF in tongue reconstruction after hemiglossectomy.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and validity of near infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green in sentinel node biopsy for cN0 oral carcinoma.Methods Thirty cases of previously untreated oral carcinoma staged cT1-3 N0M0 were enrolled in this study.1 ml of indocyanine green (25 mg/ 5 ml) was injected both around the primary tumor in a 4 quadrant pattern and in the base of the tumor before skin incision.After elevation of the platysma flap and posterior retraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle,fluorescence images were taken with a near infrared fluorescence detector until the hotspots were captured,then the hotspot lymph nodes were removed.Lymph nodes identified with fluorescent hotspots and verified in vivo were defined as sentinel nodes,and they were harvested and sent together with neck dissection specimen for pathologic study.Results Sentinel nodes were successfully harvested in all 30 cases.The number of sentinel nodes per case varied from 1 to 9,with an average number of 3.4.Routine pathology demonstrated that occult metastasis was exclusively found in the sentinel nodes in 5 cases (16.67％),and all the other lymph nodes were free from metastasis.No tracer associated adverse effects occurred in this series.Conclusion Near infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green has a high detection rate in sentinel node biopsy for cN0 oral/oropharyngeal carcinoma and the sentinel nodes can evaluate the cervical metastatic status accurately.It is an easy,feasible and promising method,which is worthy of further investigation.