S. Remmert et al., MICROVASCULAR SMALL BOWL TRANSPLANTATION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF VOICE AND SWALLOWING AFTER TOTAL LARYNGOPHARYNGECTOMY, HNO. Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenarzte, 41(10), 1993, pp. 485-490
After surgery of advanced larynx and pharynx malignancies, a main prob
lem is reconstruction of swallowing and voice. With microvascular smal
l bowl transplantation, we have been able to use a 30 cm segment of je
junum in a one-stage procedure to reconstruct extended defects of the
oropharynx, and total by hypopharynx, as well as to create a speaking-
syphon as devised by Ehrenberger. The surgical technique is described
and we now report the results achieved in our first five patients. Thi
s new method enables pharyngectomized and laryngectomized patients to
speak and to eat without any aspiration after about two weeks. This ra
pid and functionally encouraging rehabilitation means a significant im
provement in a patient's quality of life and is further justification
for the great effort required in using this method.