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Donor site sequelae and patient satisfaction after head and neck reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap

  • Head and Neck
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Radial forearm free flap (RFFF) being a workhorse flap in head and neck reconstruction, we investigated its donor site delayed consequences.

Methods

Multicentric case series evaluating 189 patients who underwent RFFF for carcinologic reasons at least 6 months before. Patients and surgeon’s appreciation regarding the aesthetic and functional consequences of the flap harvest on their daily life were evaluated by questionnaires using likert scales. Medical data were collected from patients’ charts retrospectively.

Results

Thirty percent of patients had at least one sequelae. Experiencing a graft necrosis did not worsen long-term results. Cosmetic satisfaction was significantly worst for women, according to patients’ and surgeons’ opinion. For 81% and 92% patients, respectively, the flap harvest had no impact on daily life nor sport practice. Ratio between the benefits of reconstruction and the sequelae at the donor site was judged “excellent” for 77% patients.

Conclusions

Although objectively important, RFFF morbidity has little impact in head and neck cancer patient’s life.

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Data availability

Raw data are available on request to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sacha Moufarrej for her diligent proofreading of this manuscript.

Funding

No specific funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgical Oncology Department, Centre Léon Berard, 28 rue Laennec, 69008, Lyon, France

    Sophie Deneuve & Lara Nokovitch

  2. Maxillofacial Surgery Department, University Hospital-Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Claire Majoufre

  3. Maxillofacial Surgery Department, University Hospital-Amiens, Amiens, France

    Sylvie Testelin

  4. Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital Bichat, Paris, France

    Béatrix Barry

  5. Head and Neck Surgery Department, Clcc Baclesse, Caen, France

    Marie-Yolande Louis

  6. Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital-Nantes, Nantes, France

    Julie Longis

  7. Head and Neck Surgery Department, Comprehesive Cancer Center Oscar Lambret, Lille, France

    Justine Bouchet & Morbize Julieron

  8. Head and Neck Department, University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Arnaud Damecourt

  9. ENT Department, Sud Francilien General Hospital, Corbeil, France

    Didier Salvan

  10. ENT Department, University Hospital Tenon, Paris, France

    Sarah Atallah

  11. ENT Department, University Hospital-Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Nicolas Saroul

  12. Head and Neck Surgery Department, Hopital Foch General Hospital, Suresnes, France

    Christine Bach

  13. Maxilofacial Surgery Department, Annecy General Hospital, Annecy, France

    Etienne Berta

  14. Head and Neck Surgery Department, Institut Universitaire du Cancer de Toulouse Oncopole, Toulouse, France

    Agnès Dupret-Bories

Authors
  1. Sophie Deneuve
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  2. Claire Majoufre
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  3. Sylvie Testelin
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  4. Béatrix Barry
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  7. Justine Bouchet
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  11. Nicolas Saroul
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  12. Lara Nokovitch
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  13. Christine Bach
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  14. Etienne Berta
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  15. Agnès Dupret-Bories
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  16. Morbize Julieron
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Consortia

the GETTEC, Groupe d’Etude des Tumeur de la Tête Et du Cou (Comprehensive group for studying head and neck cancer)

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sophie Deneuve.

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Conflict of interest

Nothing to declare.

Ethics approval, Consent to participate, consent for publication

The study was approved by review board of the GETTEC (Groupe Etude Tumeur Tete et du Cou-French cooperative Group for Study of Head and neck tumour), complied with the general regulation on data protection (GRDP) and was registered on the GRPD register of the Leon Bérard Centre (Lyon, France) under the number 201-004-042.

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Deneuve, S., Majoufre, C., Testelin, S. et al. Donor site sequelae and patient satisfaction after head and neck reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 278, 4051–4058 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-06649-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-06649-0

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