[Surgical management of oro-cutaneous and pharyngo-cutaneous fistulae]

Pharyngocutan- or orocutan fistulas have been observed in 8.2% of patients after cancer operations at author's clinic. As first therapy the authors used a conservative treatment, and observed a closure in 7 patients while the remaining 5 patients were operated on. From these 5 last cases 3 had large and 2 had mid size fistulas. Four surgically treated patients had radiotherapy, but after conservative treatment their fistulas showed reepithelisation and lack of inflammatory reaction. These fistulas were closed with internal- and external (double) flaps. In all cases the internal flaps were prepared from surrounding tissues of the fistulas while the sternocleidomastoid-, the trapezius- and platysma-myocutan flaps were used externally.