A case report of swallowing function in a patient who resumed oral intake after reconstructive surgery for oropharyngeal cancer of the posterior wall

Although multidisciplinary treatment, including resective and reconstructive surgery, should be considered for the management of advanced oropharyngeal cancer, severe postoperative dysphagia may occur, and laryngeal preservation may be difficult. Oropharyngeal carcinoma of the posterior wall is rare and has a poorer postoperative swallowing function and prognosis than that of other subsites, but detailed reports on swallowing dynamics are limited. Here, we report the case of a 76-year-old man. He underwent resection of the oropharynx, neck dissection, cricopharyngeal myotomy for oropharyngeal posterior wall carcinoma, and reconstruction with an anterolateral thigh flap. After surgery, the patient presented severe dysphagia but recovered the ability to swallow food that required mastication in approximately 2 months, and was discharged home. After approximately 4.5 years post-surgery, he remains able to consume regular food without showing any recurrence. We believe that preservation of most of the suprahyoid muscle group and cricopharyngeal myotomy were factors for maintaining swallowing function. In addition, by focusing on functional compensation, including postoperative rehabilitation, laryngeal preservation is suggested to help patients with oropharyngeal posterior wall cancer.