Transplant-related experience in pharyngo-oesophageal reconstruction: use of organ preservation techniques to improve ischaemic tolerance in free jejunal flaps.

Reconstruction of pharyngo-oesophageal defects remains a surgical challenge. Free jejunal flaps, first described by Seidenberg in 1959, are used to reconstruct circumferential defects, but their main disadvantage is sensitivity to ischaemia. Others are secretions, an unpleasant smell, and problems at the donor site. To improve the tolerance of the jejunal segment to ischaemia and to give the surgeon more time, we cool it after harvest and flush it with organ preservation fluid. We describe the technique in a small case series of seven patients.

The role of tongue reduction.

Macroglossia may occur as a congenital or acquired condition. The enlarged tongue has both functional and cosmetic deformity, which may affect the oral airway, speech, and the development of the jaws. We discuss the various tongue-reduction procedures and present cases to illustrate the uses of this procedure, its potential complications, and the results.