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Published on: September 15, 2023
Pull-through resection without free-flap reconstruction for lateral wall oropharyngeal cancer
Fumihiko Matsumoto1, Kenya Kobayashi1, Go Omura1
1Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Background:
While transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is widely used for the management of lateral wall oropharyngeal carcinomas (OPC), open surgical techniques are still used in some cases. A pull-through method for open surgical resections of OPC has recently been introduced. We improved on this method by eliminating the need for subsequent free-flap reconstruction.
Methods:
16 patients with lateral wall OPC underwent pull-through resections. After resection, we used the digastric muscle, stylohyoid muscles, submandibular gland and the surrounding tissues to block the neck and oral cavity and to avoid reconstruction.
Results:
This novel technique was performed without major complications or morbidities. The average post-operative hospital stay was 14.6 ± 6.1 days, and the average duration until initiation of oral intake post-operation was 6.5 ± 2.9 days. Oncological outcomes, post-operative course and function were acceptable.
Conclusions:
Our novel method provides an efficient and less invasive surgical technique than conventional open approaches.
