Anterolateral thigh (ALT)
free flap and jejunal flap (JF) were commonly used in tissue reconstruction for pharyngoesophageal
squamous cell carcinoma (PESCC) with worsening
tissue adhesion and
necrosis after
radiotherapy failure. However, the results of tissue reconstruction and postoperative complications of these two flaps are controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between group ALT
free flap and group JF in PESCC after
radiotherapy failure.
METHODS: The defect size of ALT (Numbers, 34) and JF (Numbers, 31) was 36.19 ± 11.35 cm2 and 35.58 ± 14.32 cm2 (p = 0.884), respectively. ALT and JF showed no significant difference in operation time (p = 0.683) and blood loss (p = 0.198). For postoperative outcomes within 30 days both in recipient site and donor site including
wound bleeding,
wound dehiscence,
wound infection, and pharyngocutaneous
fistula, ALT
free flap and JF showed similar results. Flap compromise (Numbers, 2 VS.3, p = 0.663), flap take backs (Numbers, 1 VS.1, p = 1.000), partial flap failures (Numbers, 4 VS.2, p = 0.674), and total flap failures (Numbers, 0 VS.0, p = 1.000) showed no difference between the two groups. In addition, no significance was found in
hypoproteinemia between the two groups (Numbers, 4 VS.2, p = 0.674). ALT
free flap was not statistically different from JF in the incidence of
dysphagia at the postoperative 6 months (Numbers of liquid diet, 5VS.5; Numbers of partial
tube feeding, 6VS.7; Numbers of total
tube feeding, 3VS.1, p = 0.790) and 12 months (Numbers of liquid diet, 8VS.7; Numbers of partial
tube feeding, 8VS.7; Numbers of total
tube feeding, 5VS.5, p = 0.998). The cause of
dysphagia not found to differ between the two groups both in postoperative 6 months (p = 0.814) and 12 months (p = 0.845).
CONCLUSION: