Deltopectoral flap revisited for reconstruction surgery in patients with advanced thyroid cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: We present the cases of 2 patients with invasive thyroid cancer, who underwent reconstructive surgery using a deltopectoral flap. Although the overall rate of extrathyroidal extension in patients with thyroid cancer is quite low, skin invasion is the most common pattern observed. Reconstructive surgery, involving local skin flaps, is required in these patients. The deltopectoral flap relies on the blood supply from intercostal perforators of the internal thoracic artery and usually requires skin grafting to the donor site. The internal thoracic artery is rarely sacrificed in these cases, even in an advanced surgery such as in patients with invasive thyroid cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old man with a distended thyroid gland presented to our hospital. He underwent advanced surgery, including skin excision, because we suspected that his tumor was thyroid cancer. The defect was covered with an ipsilateral deltopectoral flap via transposition of the flap, without skin grafting. In the second case, a 67-year-old woman with thyroid cancer that metastasized to her neck lymph nodes presented to our institution. Although the ipsilateral internal thoracic artery was sacrificed near its origin during tumor resection, the deltopectoral flap was raised in the usual manner without any complications. The skin defect caused by the tumor resection was covered with the flap. The patient had an uneventful clinical course for more than 2 years of follow-up. These 2 cases show the effectiveness of using the deltopectoral flap as a reconstructive option for patients with thyroid cancer who underwent radical surgery, resulting in a skin defect. The first case shows that this flap does not always require skin grafting to the donor site. To our knowledge, the second case may be the first report of a deltopectoral flap that was safely raised and applied with resection of the bifurcation of the ipsilateral internal thoracic artery. CONCLUSIONS: Although thyroid cancer surgery with surrounding skin excision is a rare procedure, we found that the deltopectoral flap was useful and should be the first choice for patients undergoing reconstructive surgery, whether the bifurcation of the ipsilateral internal thoracic artery is sacrificed.

Single Stage Deltopectoral Flap for Reconstruction of the Soft Tissue Defects of Neck.

Conventional deltopectoral flap is a two-staged procedure that needs a prolonged hospital stay, adding to treatment cost as well as patient discomfort and may delay adjuvant treatment. A modified deltopectoral flap, as a single-stage procedure, can overcome these shortcomings. This is a retrospective chart review of prospectively collected clinical data from a tertiary care hospital. The patients who had undergone a deltopectoral flap for the reconstruction of the neck defects at our hospital between July 2017 and July 2021 were considered for analysis. We present our results with a single-stage deltopectoral flap that was used to reconstruct medium-to-large-size defects of the neck, along with clinical illustrations as appropriate. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee (number: IEC 702-2021). A total of six patients received single-stage deltopectoral flap during the study period, of which five were for oncosurgical defects, and one had necrotizing fasciitis. The healing and overall outcome were optimal in all cases, with no flap loss. In two of these cases, the donor site was closed primarily, and in the rest, a split-thickness skin graft was used. Our results reiterate the tremendous practical value of a single-stage deltopectoral flap in the primary reconstruction of medium- to large-sized surgical defects of the neck, even in this era of free tissue transfer. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04641-8.

Total upper and lower eyelid reconstruction using deltopectoral flap.

Total upper and lower eyelid unilateral full thickness reconstruction is a surgical challenge. A case of right orbital haemangioma with unilateral complete defect of total upper and lower eyelids with right orbital exenteration is reported, together with the surgical technique of reconstruction. Patient was a 24-year-old female who underwent right orbital exenteration with total upper and lower eyelid excision for orbital haemangioma presented after 3 weeks of the above procedure. In the first stage split thickness skin grafting is used to resurface orbital cavity raw area followed by staged reconstruction of total upper and lower eyelid reconstruction using pedicle deltopectoral flap. This reconstruction provided stable eyelid reconstruction to retain ocular prosthesis with concealed and minimal donor area. After reconstruction patient underwent rehabilitation with ocular prosthesis, now the patient is satisfied with cosmetically acceptable results.

Recurrent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: A report of two cases involving the trunk and abdominal wall.

In this paper, we report two cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) who were treated with distinct surgical approaches. In the first case, a 50-year-old woman presented with a mass on her right shoulder and underwent local excision with subsequent reconstruction using a deltopectoral flap. The second case was of a young female who presented with a giant protuberant DFSP on the anterior abdominal wall who was treated with wide local excision along with inlay mesh repair of the defect. Early excision and adjuvant radiotherapy facilitates a low recurrence rate while also improving the prognosis of the patients.

10-Year Experience with the Modified Pectoralis Major Flap: The Use of the Deltopectoral Flap to Reduce Skin Tension.

Purpose: Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap has been the work horse flap for head and neck reconstruction. However, due to the bulky nature of the pedicle it is not uncommon to struggle to achieve tension free closure of the neck skin incision. This case series presents a modified pectoralis major flap technique to overcome the difficulty of tight closure or the need to graft the residual cutaneous defect. Method: This 10-year study includes 73 patients who underwent modified pectoralis major flap reconstruction for complex laryngo-pharyngeal defects following resection of tumours involving larynx, hypopharynx oropharynx and cervical oesophagus. The modified technique involves accommodating a deltopectoral fasciocutaneous flap which rotates over the pedicle to insert into the neck incision providing extra tissue to achieve a tension free closure. Results: 73 patients underwent the procedure, 80% were male. Mean age of patients was 62.8years. Larynx was the most common site and the average size of the tumour was 34.8 mm. 13 patients developed minor complications such as wound dehiscence out of which 10 were managed conservatively, 3 patients required additional reconstructive procedures. 13 patients developed pharyngocutaneous fistula and 6 developed Neopharyngeal stenosis. 51 patients achieved good swallowing and 55 developed intelligible speech following recovery. Conclusion: We recommend the use of this technique as an effective method to achieve tension free neck incision closure and improved cosmetic results especially in centres which do not have free flap facility readily available.

Combined Use of Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap and Deltopectoral Flap for the Reconstruction of Advanced Oral Cancers: Our Experience in 29 Cases.

Purpose: To assess the utility of the combined use of pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap and deltopectoral flap (DP) in advanced oral cavity cancers in the Indian population. Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective study, considering 29 patients with stage IV carcinoma of the oral cavity, from July 2015 to February 2019. Both pectoralis major Myocutaneous flaps and deltopectoral flaps were used for stage IV oral cancers involving the full-thickness cheek and the mandibular cortex. The reliability of the flaps and clinical outcomes were evaluated in the postoperative period. Results: Of the 29 patients, partial necrosis of the skin island was detected in 6 patients, 2 patients presented with wound dehiscence, and one patient had an orocutaneous fistula. Recurrence was detected in 3(10.34%) patients, in one patient, it was at the primary site and in 2 patients, it was in the neck. When different parameters were compared between the patients with complications and without complications, the comorbidities like smoking and alcohol intake adversely affected the flap survival in the postoperative period. Conclusions: The combined use of PMMC and DP flap can be a reliable option for advanced oral malignancies, especially in patients with poor performance status with the coexisting chronic illness. Due to the presence of a definite vascular pedicle, ease of harvesting the flap, quick surgical procedure, and the minimal postoperative morbidities, these pedicle flaps can be successfully used alternative to the free flaps in advanced oral cancers, especially patients with a low socioeconomic corridor like India.

The deltopectoral flap in full-thickness cheek defect: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Defects caused after tumor resection should be closed with flaps that match the neighboring cheek's skin. PRESENTATION OF CASE: the authors report a patient diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma and its management. A 50-year-old man patient presented with a painless slow swelling in the left cheek, which had increased in size in the last four months, tobacco smoking, and alcohol intake for 15 years. Clinical examination revealed left cheek swelling without any lymph nodes at the palpation. DISCUSSION: Reconstruction of the full-thickness is a real challenge. The deltopectoral flap offers several advantages despite the increasing use of microvascular reconstruction; technically is a simple and reliable flap that is preferred for the reconstruction of large through-and-through defects after resection of oral carcinoma. Preoperative planning of flap and early recognition of issues can avoid postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: This reconstruction technique was demonstrated in large, full-thickness defects involving the cheek.

Repair of facial scars using free and pedicle-expanded deltopectoral flaps.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and long-term outcomes of free and pedicled, expanded deltopectoral flaps with perforation of the internal thoracic artery to repair facial scars. This retrospective review was of 37 patients who presented between June 2013 and June 2019 with various types of facial scar. Ten patients received a free expanded deltopectoral flap and 27 a pedicled, expanded deltopectoral flap. During the stage-one operation, the expander was implanted into the deltopectoral area and fully expanded by normal saline injection. In stage two, the facial lesions were incised, and the free or pedicled flap transferred to reconstruct the defect. Flap necrosis did not occur in the 10 patients treated with free flaps. Two patients need to have the pedicle trimmed three months after surgery because it had become bloated. Distal necrosis occurred in five of 27 patients who received a pedicled, expanded deltopectoral flap. Healing by conservative treatment was noted in two cases and healing after skin grafting was documented in the other three. All 37 patients achieved satisfactory results. A pedicled, expanded deltopectoral flap appears to be a reliable and safe option for the treatment of facial scars.

Failure of pedicled flap reconstruction in the head and neck area: A case report of a bilateral subclavian artery stenosis.

INTRODUCTION: Pedicled flap reconstruction still plays an essential role in head and neck surgery as an alternative to free grafts. Two standard methods are the pectoralis major and the deltopectoral flap, which are generally characterized by their reliable perfusion. This case describes bilateral arteriosclerosis of the subclavian artery as a possible cause of flap failure. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report on a 65-year-old patient with a multilevel carcinoma of the right pharynx. Due to the unique patient history, a free flap reconstruction was not possible. After resection of the primary, we performed reconstruction with a pedicled pectoralis major flap. DISCUSSION: Postoperatively, we observed necrosis of the pectoralis major flap. Secondary defect reconstructions were performed with a deltopectoral flap first from the right and then, in the case of necrosis, from the left side. Stenosing arteriosclerotic plaques of the subclavian artery on both sides were the cause of flap failure. CONCLUSION: Preoperative angiography of the subclavian artery is not a standard diagnostic procedure in the surgical planning of pedicled flap reconstruction in the head and neck region. In exceptional cases, we recommend angiographic imaging of the supplying vessels to make a more precise flap selection and avoid complications.

Noma surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Noma is a devastating and destructive disease of the face for which there is a dearth of information regarding surgical options. Herein, we describe the facial deformities and patient characteristics in a patient population affected by noma and the surgical approaches used in treatment. METHODS: Retrospective case series of a Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) intervention at Sokoto Children's Noma Hospital in northern Nigeria, the highest-volume noma hospital in the world. RESULTS: Twenty-two procedures were performed on 18 patients with noma, 44% of whom were children. The majority of patients (n = 10, 55.5%) were made aware of surgical care through a Doctors Without Borders outreach program. Patients' reasons for seeking care included functional (61.1%, n = 11), appearance (61.1%, n = 11), and social stigma (66.7%, n = 12). The majority (83.3%, n = 15) had lip involvement. Four patients (22.2%) underwent staged flap procedures including prelamination, flap delay, or pedicle division. The mean duration of surgical procedure was 87 minutes (range 5-306 minutes). The minor complication rate was 16%. There were no major complications or deaths. CONCLUSION: Noma is a mutilating disease of the face that occurs in settings of extreme malnutrition. A total of 55.5% of noma patients were made aware of surgical care through outreach programs. The majority of noma patients seek care to improve function (61.1%) and appearance (61.1%), and to address social stigma (66.7%). A total of 83.3% of noma patients had lip involvement. Facial reconstructive surgeons must rely on principles of congenital, traumatic, and oncologic deformity repair while focusing on safe, reliable procedures for low-resource settings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:96-99, 2019.

Use of expanded deltopectoral skin flaps for facial reconstruction after sizeable benign tumor resections.

The overall unsightliness of expansive benign facial tumors imposes both physical and mental suffering. Although excision is generally the optimal recourse in such instances, reconstructing the subsequent surgical defects is always a critical issue. Herein, we have described our experiences using expanded deltopectoral skin flaps to manage large facial wounds after excising benign tumors. Our endeavor called for retrospective review of 22 patients presenting between July 2007 and March 2017 with various facial growths, including hemangiomas, nevi, and neurofibromas. Depending upon areas of facial involvement, unilateral or bilateral deltopectoral skin flaps were expanded. The stepwise process was as follows: expander implantation, flap transfer, pedicle delay, and eventual separation. Ultimately, all 22 patients undergoing this procedure expressed satisfaction with the results in terms of skin texture, color, and flexibility. This particular method may thus be a reasonable choice for repairing sizeable defects in the wake of benign facial tumor excisions.

[Repair of head and neck malignant tumor after radiotherapy tissue defects by deltopectoral flap].

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of deltopectoral flap on neck soft tissue defect after radiotherapy of head and neck malignant tumor.Method:Five cases of repair with thoracic peninsula and island skin flap for neck soft tissue defects after radiotherapy were included in the study.Result:All of the five flaps survived successfully. However, two patients had exudation on the incision sutures and 1 case has incision dehiscence. However, the wound was healed with the measure of the shoulder brake and wound resutured. In 1 case, the skin and soft tissue of the lateral neck were necrotic, with the contralateral deltopectoral flap to repair after healing. There were no complications after repair of skin flap in 1 patient.Conclusion:The deltopectoral flap is found as a efficant tissure for repair of head and neck tissue defects after radiotherapy.

Prevention of anastomotic leak using an advanced pectoral flap in total pharyngolaryngectomy and free jejunal reconstruction for hypopharyngeal or laryngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We devised an advanced pectoral flap (APF) to prevent anastomotic leak after total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL) and free jejunal reconstruction (FJR) in patients with hypopharyngeal or laryngeal carcinoma. The APF alleviates tension on the skin in the neck, reduces the subcutaneous dead space, and promotes adhesion between the neck skin and the anastomosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an APF is effective for prevention of anastomotic leak associated with TPL/FJR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Anastomotic leak was compared between APF (n = 65) and non-APF groups (n = 25). Patients who had received preoperative radiotherapy or undergone tracheostomy or skin infiltration requiring neck reconstruction using a pedicle flap were excluded. RESULTS: There were significantly fewer cases of anastomotic leak in the APF group than in the non-APF group (1.5% [1/65] vs. 16.0% [4/25]; p = .02). An APF could be created bilaterally within approximately 15 minutes. Unlike a deltopectoral flap, an APF does not require a skin graft. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative anastomotic leak rate was 1.5% in patients who underwent TPL and FJR for hypopharyngeal or laryngeal carcinoma with an APF. SIGNIFICANCE: An APF is easily created and can reduce the incidence of anastomotic leak after TPL and FJR.

Closure of tracheoesophageal fistula with prefabricated deltopectoral flap.

Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a serious complication associated with impaired quality of life. However, a successful TEF closure is difficult owing to the high incidence of recurrence. We utilized a prefabricated deltopectoral (DP) flap for closure of a TEF that occurred after an extended total thyroidectomy. Prefabrication of the inner soft tissue lining the DP flap with a split skin graft was performed prior to surgical closure of a TEF. Esophageal and tracheal mucosa were sutured to the split thickness side and full thickness side of the prefabricated DP flap, respectively. A successful closure of the fistula was achieved with this procedure. Prefabricated DP flap is a useful procedure for the surgical treatment of TEF.

A Novel Clinical Application of the Classical Bakamjian Flap in the Reconstruction of a Sternal Chondrosarcoma Defect.

The deltopectoral flap also called the Bakamjian flap was originally described as a two-stage procedure for pharygoesophageal reconstruction following laryngopharyngectomy. It became the "workhorse" flap for head and neck reconstruction in the 1960s, but its popularity gradually faded with the introduction of pedicled myocutaneous flaps and subsequently microvascular free flaps. However, the technical simplicity of raising the Bakamjian flap along with its predictable vascular supply has ensured that the flap continues to remain as a time-tested salvage option in head and neck reconstruction. The use of this flap for sternal reconstruction, to the best of our knowledge, has not been described before. We present a rare case of a primary sternal chondrosarcoma and discuss its management challenges and also present, possibly for the first time, a novel application for the well-described Bakamjian flap in this setting as a single-stage procedure.

Reconstruction in oral malignancy: Factors affecting morbidity of various procedures.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: (1) To study the age and sex distribution of patient with oral malignancies. (2) To analyze various types of surgery performed. (3) Evaluation of reconstruction and factors affecting complications and its relation to the type of reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases of oral malignancies, undergoing surgery for the same in Sri Aurobindo Medical College and PG Institute, Indore from the period from October 1, 2012, to March 31, 2015. RESULTS: Out of analysis of 111 cases of oral malignancy, 31 (27.9%) cases were in the fifth decade of life with male to female ratio 1.9:1. The commonest site of cancer was buccal mucosa. Forty-seven cases (43.2%) were in stage IVa. Diabetes was the most common co-morbidity reported, accounting for 53.9% of cases with reported morbidity. Tobacco chewing was the common entity in personal habits. All the cases underwent neck dissection along with resection of the primary. Hemimandibulectomy was the most preferred form of primary resection accounting for 53.15% (59 cases), followed by wide resection of primary 27% (30 cases). Pectoralis major myocutaneous (PMMC) flap only was the most common reconstruction across the study population. PMMC alone accounted for 38.7% (43 cases). The infection rate was 16.21%. PMMC alone accounted for 5 out of 18 (27.8%) of total infection rate, and 4.5% of the total study population. PMMC + deltopectoral accounted for 5 out of 18 (27.8%) of total infection rate, and 4.5% of the total study population. CONCLUSION: PMMC is a major workhorse for reconstruction with better functional outcome and acceptance among operated patients.

The supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIF) for head and neck reconstruction: surgical technique and refinements.

OBJECTIVE: We have found the supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIF) to be a reliable, first-line tool for the reconstruction of complex head and neck defects. Here, we review our technique of flap elevation and summarize the current literature citing important contributions in the evolution of this flap. DATA SOURCES: Medline literature review of supraclavicular artery island flap or shoulder flap in head and neck reconstruction with particular emphasis on developments within the past 5 years. REVIEW METHODS: Literature review of technique, indications, anatomy, modification, and outcomes of the supraclavicular artery island flap. CONCLUSION: The supraclavicular artery island flap is an important and reliable option in head and neck reconstruction. We use the flap routinely in our practice as a first-line technique when fasciocutaneous soft-tissue reconstruction is required, and we provide a detailed summary of the flap elevation and inset. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The supraclavicular artery island flap is a safe, reliable, technically simple, sensate, thin, pliable fasciocutaneous regional flap option that has low morbidity. It provides sensate, single-stage reconstruction for a variety of head and neck defects and should be considered as a first-line option in head and neck reconstruction.

Single stage reconstructions in head and neck surgery using deltopectoral and pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps.

Even though free tissue transfers are a routine in many centres, pedicle flaps still have a huge roll to play in our country. There are many centres in the country where pedicle flaps are in use because of logistic problems. Deltopectoral and pectoralis muscle flaps are usually preferred for composite cheek defects. When both these flaps are used in combination it is a two-staged procedure. We describe a single-stage procedure to reconstruct a composite cheek defect with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for lining and single-stage deltopectoral flap for cover. In the available literature search, single-stage DP and PMMC have not been described for management of composite cheek defect.

Closure of orocutanous fistula using a pedicled expanded deltopectoral flap.

Orocutaneous fistulas are associated with considerable morbidity. Closures of these fistulas are a challenge to the reconstructing surgeon. The aim of treatment is to provide healthy tissue to repair both the oral and cutaneous defects. The use of an expanded pedicled deltopectoral flap for the closure of an orocutaneous fistula in a patient who has undergone bilateral neck dissection and radiation is reported.

Surgical repair of postlaryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistulas.

Pharyngo-cutaneous fistula is a common complication after laryngectomy, which increases both the morbidity and the hospital stay. The incidence rate varies from 8.7% to 24.8% in different institutions. The continuous salivary leak is very much troublesome for the patients. There are various predisposing factors out of which preoperative radiotherapy, diabetes, malnutrition is very important. Spontaneous closure occurs in most of the cases on conservative management and only a few need surgical closures. Surgical methods used are direct surgical repair in two layers inner mucosa and outer skin, single distant flap like DP or PMMC, double distant flap like DP and PMMC one for inner mucosa and another for outer skin. Post operative swallowing was satisfactory in all the cases and there was no recurrence of fistula in one and half year follow up.