WOUND COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BRACHYTHERAPY FOR PRIMARY OR SALVAGE TREATMENT OF HEAD AND NECK-CANCER

Brachytherapy can be employed in the primary or salvage treatment of h ead and neck cancer, The advantage of brachytherapy is the stereotacti c limitation of radiation exposure to noninvolved tissues. Wound compl ications associated with brachytherapy have been discussed only sporad ically in the literature, This retrospective study examines 28 patient s, 20 for initial treatment and eight for salvage, with varying site a nd stage head and neck cancer treated with brachytherapy in addition t o external beam radiation therapy and/or surgery. The overall complica tion rate was 50% (14/28), with infection and minor flap breakdown bei ng the most common problems, Tumor site in the primary treatment group was the only significant factor in wound com plications. In the salva ge group complications were minor and primarily related to flap covera ge of brachytherapy catheters.