Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2025
Creating Radio-cephalic Arteriovenous Fistula in the Forearm with a Modified No-Touch Technique
Published on: April 1, 2022
Radial Forearm Flap for Esophageal Perforation After Anterior Cervical Hardware Removal: Surgical Technique and Case
Davin C Gong1, Omkar S Anaspure2, Anthony N Baumann3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Case:
A 51-year-old woman, who had previously undergone C5-C7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, presented with symptomatic hardware failure and subsequently underwent instrumentation removal. Her postoperative course was complicated by an esophageal perforation. Despite initial repair using a rotational flap, the leak persisted, prompting esophageal reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap (RFFF).
Conclusion:
Persistent esophageal perforation is exceedingly rare and difficult to treat. This report discusses the surgical technique for RFFF, an excellent option for revising failed sternocleidomastoid rotational flaps. The decision between rotational repair and free flap reconstruction depends on factors such as defect size, vascularization, wound condition, and donor site morbidity.
