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Evaluating the donor site after harvest of free jejunum grafts
Kiyotaka Uchiyama1, Yoshihiro Kimata, Satoshi Ebihara
1Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Head Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan. Kuchiyam@east.ncc.go.jp
Background:
Free jejunal grafts are commonly used for reconstruction after surgery for hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancer. However, few reports have addressed postoperative morbidity at the abdominal donor site.
Methods:
Preoperative morbidity and postoperative complications were analyzed in 126 patients in whom free jejunal grafts had been harvested from 1992 through 1996.
Results:
Although 27 patients had previously undergone abdominal surgery, there was no correlation between previous abdominal surgery and abdominal complications after graft harvest (p >.25). Abdominal complications were not correlated with patient age (p >.25).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that previous abdominal surgery (except on the ileum) and patient age are not contraindications to free jejunal graft harvest.