[Reconstruction of hypopharyngeal cavity with neck reverse rectangular thinned skin flap].

OBJECTIVE

To study the postoperative convalescence of swallow after reconstruction of hypopharyngeal defect with the neck reverse rectangular thinned skin flap.

METHOD

A thinned reverse skin flap was designed in the middle line of a platysma skin flap, and was used in hypopharyngeal reconstruction for 20 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx.

RESULT

No skin flap complications occurred in all patients. Fistulas in 5 cases healed spontaneously in 7 days to 10 days without further surgery. One case with lower anastomotic site stenosis was performed by subsequent successful surgery. The survival rate was 50% and 33.3% respectively after 3 years and 5 years follow up.

CONCLUSION

This flap was effectively applied for reconstruction of hypopharyngeal defect for hypopharyngeal cancer, which was easy to master by surgeons, and was a high successful procedure of choice.