Clinical efficacy of bypass grafting in recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with internal carotid artery invasion

Background: We aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of bypass grafting in recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with internal carotid artery invasion.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed involving 51 patients either operated by bypass grafting (n = 22) or treated with repeated chemo-radiotherapy (n = 29).Results: Four patients in the bypass grafting group died 3?5 months after the operation due to epistaxis and pulmonary infection (4/22, 18.2%), and three more patients exhibited a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ? 2 during the follow-up (3/22, 13.6%). In the repeated chemo-radiotherapy group, 8 patients died (8/29, 27.6%), including seven patients dying within 2?3 months due to epistaxis and pulmonary infection (7/29, 24.1%). One more patient died of epistaxis after 9 months. The difference in mortality between the two treatment groups within 3 months of treatment was statistically significant (P = 0.038).Conclusions: Cerebrovascular reconstruction after detailed collateral flow assessment is an effective treatment for recurrent NPC patients with internal carotid artery invasion.