Donor site morbidity of free jejunal flap reconstruction of the oropharyngeal cavity

The study was performed to evaluate abdominal complications related to jejunal segment resection for reconstruction after radical oropharyngeal tumor resection. Perioperative complications of 104 patients (median age, 53.7 years; 23 female; 81 male) who underwent surgery for oropharyngeal malignancy after radiochemotherapy and the long-term morbidity of 35 patients after a median follow-up period of 21 months are analyzed. The perioperative mortality was 8.7% (9/104); none of the perioperative deaths was caused by an abdominal complication associated with the jejunal resection. In three cases, repeat laparotomy was performed within 30 days of jejunal autotransplantation: in two of them the reason was not directly associated with bowel resection and one patient had an abdominal wall dehiscence. In six cases there were minor abdominal complications which could be treated nonsurgically. There was no anastomotic leakage, bowel obstruction or postoperative bleeding. In the follow-up re-examination, no late onset abdominal complications were noted except small incisional hernias in six of the 35 patients; only one required a hernia repair. Despite a potentially increased operative risk in these patients, the complication rate after bowel resection for jejunal autotransplantation was low. This is a safe procedure in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma.