A modification of the Bjork flap in tracheostomies for head and neck cancer patients.

The etymology of the word tracheotomy derives from two Ancient Greek words: the word trachea (Greek τραχɛία tracheía) and the word stoma (Greek στóμα stóma) meaning "mouth," and refers to the making of an opening. It is believed that an early tracheostomy was performed by the Greek physician Asclepiades of Bithynia, in order to treat upper airway obstruction. A secure airway in the intraoperative and early postoperative period is of paramount importance for a number patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery. We describe a modification of the Bjork flap used in tracheostomies for head and neck cancer patients, which allows tracheal outline reconstitution and significantly decreases the risk of respiratory obstruction and clinically evident tracheal stenosis, as our results have shown, at least five years after the last patient was discharged.