Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026
Identification and Protection of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve during Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy
Published on: October 24, 2025
[Pharyngeal reconstruction after salvage pharyngolaryngectomy in recurrent tumors]
I Baumann1, M M Maassen, P K Plinkert
1Universitäts-HNO-Klinik Tübingen. ingo.baumann@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Background:
Total pharyngeal reconstruction after salvage pharyngolarynectomy in recurrent tumors after primary surgery or radiation therapy may be performed by ENT surgeons in the oncologic field.
Patients:
We report on six patients that underwent salvage pharyngolaryngectomy and total pharyngeal reconstruction.
Methods:
In three cases pharyngeal reconstruction was performed as a two-stage procedure with deltopectoral flaps. One of these patients died before the completion of reconstruction. In three other patients the reconstruction was performed with a tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap including one patient after a failed reconstruction with a jejunum segment. or fistula prevention we applied silicon stents in three patients and self-expanding Nitinol stents in three other patients.
Results:
Of five successfully reconstructed patients two fed orally, one fed combined orally and via PEG and two fed via PEG.
Conclusions:
Summarizing our experiences the use of silicon tubes and nitinol stents has proved its worth. Experiences with a larger number of patients must be collected in the future.
