A Case of Salvage Maxillectomy for Recurrent Oral Cancer After Boron Neutron Capture Therapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, pedicle flaps instead of free flap transfer were recommended for head and neck reconstruction to reduce infection risk. Boron neutron-capture therapy in Japan was clinically approved in 2020 as a salvage radiotherapy for recurrent head and neck cancer following chemoradiotherapy. The efficacy and safety of salvage surgery following boron neutron-capture therapy remain unclear. CASE REPORT: We describe a 57-year-old male with crT4aN0M0 oral cancer after three different forms of radiotherapy including boron neutron-capture therapy, treated by salvage partial maxillectomy with both buccal fat pad and nasoseptal flaps. His postsurgical course was successful, without tracheostomy, and he had no Clavien- Dindo grade 3 or 4 complications. The pathological diagnosis was T4a squamous cell carcinoma with a negative surgical margin. No recurrence or metastasis had occurred at 113 days postoperatively. No opioid consumption was needed postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Pathological negative margins were achieved in this case and there were no severe complications. Further accrual of cases salvage surgery following boron neutron-capture therapy is required to clarify treatment strategies for recurrent head and neck cancer.

Supraclavicular Artery Flap for Oral Reconstruction Prior to Esophagectomy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic, pedicle flaps (instead of free flaps) were recommended for reconstruction following wide resection for patients with head and neck cancer, in order to reduce the use of medical resources. Currently, there are no established treatment guidelines for patients with head and neck cancer with synchronous esophageal cancer. CASE REPORT: We present a 68-year-old male with cT4aN2cM0 oral floor and synchronous cT1bN1M0 esophageal cancers who had defective reconstruction following oral tumor resection before esophagectomy during the pandemic. At the initial surgery, the oral resected defect was reconstructed using supraclavicular artery flap. The subsequent esophagectomy was reconstructed by gastric tube reconstruction. Both postoperative courses were successful, without the need for postoperative ventilator use. The days from initial or second surgery to discharge were 14 or 16 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: This case had achieved negative surgical margins and recovered oral intake with tracheostomy decannulation. Further case accruement using supraclavicular artery flap is required for patients with head and neck cancer and synchronous esophageal cancer.