A major complication of head and neck cancer surgery is pharyngocutaneous
fistula. this fistula is notified more after radiation and extensive
pharyngeal resection (Dedo et. at 1975) .
Eleven cases with failure to close-fistulae were the material of this
study. Previous management was applied followed by failure to close.
Different surgical procedures were carried out to close the fistulae :
gastric pull up (six cases), micro-surgical free jujenal patch (2 cases), and
local tongue flap (three cases). Each method will be discussed and the results
will be analyzed.
Six cases were recurrent after double island myocutaneous and/or delto-
pectoral flap, two cases after extensive pharyngeal resection together
with radical neck dissection and post-operative radiotherapy. The last
three cases were to close wide pharyngos tome. |
