CICATRICIAL STENOSIS OF THE HYPOPHARYNX TREATED WITH SKIN GRAFT

Abstract

THE CASE to be described is one of stricture of the hypopharynx following ingestion of lye which did not respond satisfactorily to bougienage. A successful result was brought about by applying the principles of plastic surgery. Through an external approach a skin graft was applied to the cicatrized area after resection of the stricture. Since 1918, skin grafts have been successfully applied onto freshly denuded surfaces in the presence of salivary secretions, which contain the bacterial flora of the mouth. At that time Waldron, Gillies and Pickerill1introduced a stent with the skin graft directly into the mouth. Arbuckle,2in 1930, was among the first to report the application of free skin grafts to laryngeal stenoses. Figi,3in 1947, reported that he applied this technic to cicatrized laryngeal stenoses with success. REPORT OF A CASE A Negro woman aged 20 had ingested lye in a suicidal attempt.