Reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancers

Abstract

Reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancers performed during the past ten years is reviewed. The patients were 60 males and 19 females with a mean age of 61.1 years. The reconstructed sites were oral cavity (28 patients ; 35%), hypopharynx and esophagus (21 patients ; 27%), oropharynx (14 patients ; 18%), skin (9 patients ; 11%), pharyngeal fistula (6 patients ; 8%), and nasopharynx (1 patient ; 1%). We used 66 pedicled flaps (84%) and 13 free flaps (16%). The most common were pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps (43 patients ; 54%). Reconstructive operations have increased over the past ten years, especially free flap trasplantations in 1993 and 1994. The use of free flaps has shortened period of post-operative hospitalization and improved swallowing and speech functions.