Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Coronoid-Temporalis Pedicled Flap for Orbital Floor Defect Reconstruction
Published on: December 5, 2025
Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of circumferential pharyngeal defects
Mark S Burke1, Seth E Kaplan, Lee J Kaplowitz
1From the Erie County Medical Center; Roswell Park Cancer Institute; and The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY.
Background:
A 270-degree partially tubed pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) is an excellent option for total circumferential pharyngoesophageal defects in patients who are not candidates for more complex reconstructions.
Methods:
Patients undergoing circumferential pharyngoesophageal reconstruction with partially tubed PMMF were reviewed. End points were stricture, fistula, resumption of oral intake, perioperative death, and recurrence.
Results:
Eleven patients underwent 270-degree PMMF for reconstruction: 6 (55%) were men and 5 (45%) were women (mean, 62 years; range, 42-78 years). Three patients (27%) developed fistulas and 2 (18%) developed stenosis. Ten patients (91%) were able to resume adequate nutrition via oral intake. There were no perioperative deaths.
Conclusions:
Patients with severe comorbidities, metastatic disease, a lack of donor vessels, or a potentially hostile abdomen may not be ideal candidates for free tissue transfer. For these patients, partially tubed PMMF using the prevertebral fascia provides a reliable alternative for reconstruction with excellent functional results.
