The investigation of post-reconstruction surgery using musculocutaneous or skin flap in elderly patients -perception, muscular strength, and blood flow of skin

1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 10671604
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: KUSUMI Akira Med. Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck surgery, University of the Ryukyus, Assistant Professor, 医学部・附属病院, 講師 (60169993)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAMURA Yukio Med. Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck surgery, University of the Ryukyus, Assistant, 医学部・附属病院, 助手 ; KOUCHI Ayako Med. Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck surgery, University of the Ryukyus, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (30264500) ; SHINHAMA Akihiko Med. Oto-rhino-laryngology, Head and Neck surgery, University of the Ryukyus, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (60284973)
• Project Period (FY): 1998 – 1999
• Keywords: thermography / musculocutaneus flap / reconstruction surgery / head-and-neck surgery / elderly patient / blood-flow of skin

Research Abstract

With the purpose of clarifying functional problems after collecting the flap specimens, the following investigation was performed on the elderly patients who had underwent reconstruction surgery using musculocutaneous flap and skin flap at our institution:
1998: i) Measurement of skin surface temperature by thermography as pre-test.
ii) Confirmation of the applicable patients among those who live in remote area.
1999: Investigation on these patients.
The investigation was carried out on the patients who were 70 years or older at the time of surgery.
In the measurement of perception of each patient, the results were not different from those of the non-collecting side in an of these cases. In actual evaluation of motion, the evaluation based on the scores reported by Kimura et al. was performed. The results showed full score for an cases. In the hearing survey, no change was found in daily activity in all cases. However, one female patient reported postoperative stiffening of the arm on the collecting side, and she complained that the symptom exacerbated in the morning. In this case, the results of observation by thermography revealed temperature decrease over time on upper limb of the collecting side. The influence of radical neck dissection was not deniable, and the cause was not exactly identified. However, the fact that concrete change was found by thermography to such complaint, which has been regarded as "indefinite complaint" in the past, may imply a certain clue for future elucidation of the pathological conditions.
These results suggest that reconstruction surgery using musculocutaneous or skin flap for elderly patients would not impair physical functions of the patients. Rather, it win quicken the time to restore to normal condition of the patients in postoperative course and that it is useful for the improvement of Quality of Life.