Postoperative Complications of Jejunal and Skin Valve Reconstruction in Free Reconstructive Surgery for Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma.

[BACKGROUND/AIM] This study evaluated the incidence of perioperative complications in jejunal flap compared with the free tissue flap approach.

[PATIENTS AND METHODS] This study included 75 patients who underwent free flap reconstruction for hypopharyngeal carcinoma. The primary outcome was the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula, and the secondary outcomes were perioperative complications.

[RESULTS] Pharyngocutaneous fistula developed in 7% of patients who underwent jejunal flap procedures and 6% of patients who underwent free tissue flap procedure. Flap sampling site complications occurred in 23% of patients who underwent jejunal flap procedures and in none of the patients who underwent free tissue flap procedure.

[CONCLUSION] No significant difference was observed in the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula between the two groups (p=0.99), but complications at the flap sampling site were significantly more common in jejunal flap procedures than in free tissue flap procedures (p=0.03). Free tissue flap procedures are potential reconstruction methods superior to jejunal flap methods.