Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with infection at the recipient site of pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) of head and neck cancer patients. We retrospectively reviewed head and neck cancer patients who underwent PMMF reconstruction and identified those with recipient site infection. Variables of patients with and without infection were compared and associated factors were investigated by logistic regression model. A total of 478 patients were included in the final analysis and 183 patients (38.3 %) developed recipient site infection. Lower margin of skin island, concurrent tracheotomy, diabetes mellitus, mandibular plate reconstruction, prior radiation, and peri-operative blood transfusion were independent factors associated with recipient site infection of PMMF. Skin island of PMMF beyond the eighth intercostal space markedly increased the risk of recipient site infection after major head and neck cancer surgery. Recognition of relevant factors associated with infection may help surgeons to identify those at risk.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Biostatistics Task Force of Taichung Veterans General Hospital for their assistance with the statistical analysis. The study was partially supported by grants from Taichung Veterans General Hospital (TCVGH-1037004C), Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. No potential conflict of interest was involved in this research.
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The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to report.
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The Taichung Veterans General Hospital had no role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or in the preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.
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Wang, CH., Wong, YK., Wang, CP. et al. Risk factors of recipient site infection in head and neck cancer patients undergoing pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 3475–3482 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3372-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3372-0