The Effects of Preoperative Radiotherapy on Head and Neck Free Flap Anastomosis Success

Publication date: Available online 26 May 2016
Source:Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): Claudio Rostetter, Irina M. Kuster, Jan S. Schenkel, Martin Lanzer, Thomas Gander, Astrid L. Kruse
PurposeThe long-term survival benefit of neoadjuvant radiotherapy for oropharyngeal tumors is controversial discussed in literature. To bring more light into this important debate we evaluated our cases.MethodsIn this retrospective study the main focus was the relationship between neoadjuvant irradiation (XRT) and anastomosis failure. Other influencing factors including previous operative treatment, tumor stage and type were also studied.ResultsIn total 7 anastomoses failed (total failure rate 8.4%; n = 83), 1 of the 7 underwent XRT, (failure rate 3.1%; n = 32). All of the 7 anastomosis failures were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with 5 of them staged as T4.ConclusionOur data suggests that neoadjuvant radiotherapy for oropharyngeal carcinoma does not increase the risk for postoperative anastomosis failure compared with surgical reconstruction alone. Further, the data suggest a correlation between the stage and type of tumor.



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