Edge De-epithelialization for Reducing Pharyngocutaneous Fistula in Patch Free Flap Reconstructions for Salvage Total Laryngectomy Defects: A Case-Control Study

Background The leakage of saliva through the deep neck region from a pharyngocutaneous fistula could cause devastating complications, including vascular ruptures leading to mortality. While a partial pharyngoesophageal defect is created after total laryngectomy, a patch pattern of hypopharyngeal reconstruction is required, for which a fasciocutaneous free flap is usually applied. If radiotherapy fails to cure pharyngeal cancer, salvage total laryngectomy (STL) is needed. However, postradiation tissues tend not to heal well, and the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula therefore increases. We proposed an edge-epithelialization method to address this problem and conducted a retrospective study for comparison. Methods The inclusion criteria were patients with head and neck cancer who underwent total laryngectomy that immediately required patch free flap reconstruction at a single medical center (January 2012–December 2021). Receipt of presurgical radiotherapy, hospitalization duration, and the presence of postoperative complications were recorded. Results The included patients were separated into two groups: Group A (edge de-epithelialization not adopted) ( n = 79) and Group B (edge de-epithelialization adopted) ( n = 51). Forty-four and twenty-two patients in Groups A and Group B, respectively, received preoperative radiotherapies and simultaneous STL and fasciocutaneous free flap reconstructions. The incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula was significantly lower in Group B ( p = 0.0145). This phenomenon was the same for patients who underwent preoperative radiotherapy only ( p = 0.0470) but not for patients who did not receive preoperative radiotherapy ( p = 0.2363). Conclusions Edge de-epithelialization is an effective method for reducing pharyngocutaneous fistula formation in patch free flap reconstructions after STLs.