Anterolateral Thigh Thickness Measurement in Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography for the Prediction of Free Flap Reconstruction Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer.
10.3342/kjorl-hns.2016.59.11.780
- Author:
Myung Jin BAN
1
;
Jae Hong PARK
;
Hyung Kwon BYEON
;
Jae Won CHANG
;
Jeong Hyun AHN
;
Ji Hoon KIM
;
Won Shik KIM
;
Yoon Woo KOH
;
Se Heon KIM
;
Eun Chang CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cancer of head and neck;
Computed tomography;
Free flaps;
Positron emission tomography;
Thigh
- MeSH:
Body Mass Index;
Electrons*;
Free Tissue Flaps*;
Head and Neck Neoplasms*;
Head*;
Humans;
Ischemia;
Methods;
Multivariate Analysis;
Neck;
Positron-Emission Tomography;
Retrospective Studies;
Thigh*
- From:Korean Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
2016;59(11):780-786
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps are commonly used for head and neck surgery reconstruction. However, a thick ALT often leads to long operation times. Therefore, ALT thickness on a preoperative non contrast image of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan was measured to predict surgical outcome. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The correlation between ALT thickness and total reconstruction time was analyzed in 106 patients. The differences in ALT thickness between the successful and compromised-flap groups were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Median ALT thickness was 4.49 mm, and total reconstruction time was 190 min. Total reconstruction time was significantly correlated with ALT thickness (p=0.019). ALT thickness, body mass index (BMI), total reconstruction time and ischemia time were significantly greater in the compromised-flap group than in the successful group. In the multivariate analysis, only BMI and ischemia time were predictors for the compromised flap. CONCLUSION: ALT thickness measured on a non-contrast image of PET-CT scan is useful as a surgical outcome predictor with respect to total reconstruction time. A further study may suggest the risk of a thick ALT in a compromised flap in head and neck reconstruction using an ALT free flap.
