RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Perichondritis or chondritis after salvage vertical partial laryngectomy is a rare but serious problem. Usually perichondritis is caused by contamination of oral and bronchial secretion to exposed cut surface of thyroid cartilage. We report about a new closing method which has posterior and inferior based perichondrial flap positioned to laryngeal surface of thyroid cartilage, which can be used follwoing a salvage vertical partial laryngectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven salvage vertical partial laryngectomy patients were studied. We used conventional D shaped perichondrial flap closure for the three patients, while a news flap closure was used for the other four. RESULT: One of the three patients who recieved conventional flap closure showed severe perichondritis which resulted in laryngectomy. The other two patients and all others who received new flap cases healed without any problem. CONCLUSION: This preliminary result shows that the new flap could be used as a closing method following a heavily irradiated vertical partial laryngectomy.