Radial forearm free-flap reconstruction following radiotherapy and total laryngectomy

The authors' experience with six patients who underwent radial forearm free -flap reconstruction following radiotherapy and total laryngectomy is prese nted. All patients had undergone previous irradiation of 57.8 Gy on average as primary treatment for laryngeal cancer. A patch graft of the radial for earm free flap was used for pharyngoesophageal wall reconstruction in three patients, a radial forearm free flap for cervical soft tissue in one patie nt, and a double-folded radial forearm free flap for simultaneous pharyngoe sophageal wall and cervical soft tissue in two patients. The free-flap tran sfers were successful in all patients. There was one patient who developed a small pharyngocutaneous fistula, which closed spontaneously. The radial f orearm free flap is demonstrated to be a versatile technique for reconstruc tion of a moderate-sized defect in the treatment of laryngeal cancer.