Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery in Spanish Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Departments: Current State of the Art

Abstract

Advances in oncological head and neck surgery evidenced in the last decades have been linked to the progression in the reconstruction capacity of the defects resulting from resection of advanced tumors, allowing the improvement of both esthetic and functional results, as well as decrease the rate of postoperative complications in rescue surgery. To understand the situation of head and neck reconstruction across the country. a questionnaire about the current state of head and neck reconstructive surgery in Spain in otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery departments was distributed via email. Eighty (25.5%) of 313 ENT departments in Spain carry out some type of reconstruction in oncological surgery of the head and neck. Forty-four (55%) departments use regional pedicled flaps as a single reconstruction strategy, while 36 (45%) departments also employed the use of microvascular free flaps. Fifty-six (70%) departments perform 10 or less regional pedicled flaps per year, while 21 (29.6%) perform 10 or more flaps per year, with an average of 9.91 ± 11.73 flaps/year (min. 2, max. 40). Seven (8.75%) departments perform 10 or more free flaps a year, while the other 29 (36.25%) perform 10 or less, with an average of 4.96 ± 5.1 free flaps microvascular year (min. 2, max 20). In our country, head and neck cancer surgeries are performed in a tertiary level hospital and patients benefit from the reconstruction of post-surgical defects, through the use of regional pedicled or microvascular free flaps.