Functional Soft Palate Reconstruction

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of the study is to show that the innovative, dynamic palatal reconstruction technique (free radial flap plasty in combination with displacement of the digastric muscle) leads to a good functional outcome in terms of speech and swallowing in the context of the current literature.

Detailed Description
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Tumors in the throat and pharynx are common and often lead to impaired swallowing and phonation after surgical tumor resection. The posterior part of the digastric muscle is responsible for sealing during the pharyngeal swallowing phase, among other things. By relocating the digastric muscle, a defect in the area of the soft palate can now be reconstructed with a muscle whose physiological function is already integrated into the complex process of the swallowing act and thus leads to a better seal. This new, previously undescribed reconstruction option has been used on various patients at the University Hospital with good functional results. This study is to describe the new dynamic technique for soft palate reconstruction and to analyze the associated functional and surgical outcomes including postoperative complications, speech and swallowing function. The resulting values will be compared with the existing literature. The aim is to investigate whether the functional outcome in terms of phonation and swallowing can be improved by this technique.

Official Title
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Functional Soft Palate Reconstruction

Conditions
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Soft Palate Reconstruction

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Data collection


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients after tumor resection of the soft palate with reconstruction by a free radial flap and displacement of the digastric muscle. Exclusion Criteria: Patients with resected oropharyngeal carcinoma but without reconstruction using the dynamic technique described are excluded from the study.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Other: Data collection|Data collection using entries in the medical records of the respective patients (surgery reports, progress notes, consultation reports, imaging and pathology reports) who underwent surgery with the new dynamic technique for soft palate reconstruction.|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of complications | Number of complications after reconstruction of the soft palate with free radial flap plasty in combination with displacement of the digastric muscle | one time assessment at baseline | 
| Number of risk factors | Number of risk factors in patients with reconstruction of the soft palate | one time assessment at baseline | 
| Number of perioperative therapies (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) | Perioperative therapies (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) in patients with reconstruction of the soft palate (descriptive) | one time assessment at baseline | 
| Rate of different surgical indications | Surgical indication in patients with reconstruction of the soft palate (descriptive) | one time assessment at baseline | 
| Oncological status according to tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) classification | Oncological status in patients with reconstruction of the soft palate (descriptive); TNM classification system for carcinoma is to establish the anatomic extent of the disease (Stage 0 - Indicates carcinoma in situ. Tis, N0, M0. Stage I - Localized cancer. T1-T2, N0, M0. Stage II - Locally advanced cancer, early stages. T2-T4, N0, M0. Stage III - Locally advanced cancer, late stages. T1-T4, N1-N3, M0.; Stage IV - Metastatic cancer. T1-T4, N1-N3, M1.) | one time assessment at baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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swallowing phase, digastric muscle, palatal reconstruction, free radial flap plasty, displacement of the digastric muscle