The use of negative pressure therapy in the treatment of defects resulting from failed reconstruction in the neck region

Abstract

Aim: Reconstruction of defects after tumor excision in neck region is very difficult because fistula formation between oral cavity/ pharyngeal space and defects is frequently encountered. Salivary swelling through the fistula disrupts wound healing. This study aims to show the effectiveness of negative pressure treatment (NPT) in the treatment of neck defect with fistula formation. Material and Method: Patients who had neck defects with orocutaneous or pharyngocutaneous fistule and treated with NPT between January 2012 and January 2015 were included in the study. Result: 9 patient who had neck defects with orocutaneous or pharyngocutaneous fistule treated with NPT between January 2012 and January 2015. With the application of an average of 6.11 sessions NPT treatment, the salivary secretion terminated and the formation of granulation tissue was provided. With NPT, secondary healing was observed in 2 patients, and the defect was reconstructed with a local flap in the other 7 patients. Discussion: It is recommended that NPT can be used to repair the defects with orocutaneous or pharyngocutaneous fistules in neck region