Clinical Research on Forearm Flap and Anterolateral Thigh Flap for Reconstructing Postoperative Defects of Oral Cancer

doi:10.13701/j.cnki.kqyxyj.2019.01.011

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To explore the contributions of anterolateral thigh flaps and forearm flaps in the reconstruction of defects caused by oral cancer resection. Methods: Sixty patients who were conducted free flap transfers on account of oral cancer operations, from May 2015 to March 2018, were reviewed by Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Xiangya Stomatological Hospital. The reconstruction cases contained 44 anterolateral thigh flaps and 16 forearm flaps. The survival conditions of free flaps, the recovering states of donor sites and the shapes and functions of receiving sites were closely observed and recorded. Results: The overall survival rate of free flaps was 90.0% (54/60), and those of forearm flaps and anterolateral thigh flaps were 87.5% (14/16) and 90.9% (40/44), respectively. The difference between two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). After a 6 to 36 months follow-up observation, the restoration effects were mostly satisfied. The difference of survival quality score before and after operation in two groups was statistically significant, respectively (P＜0.05). The difference of survival quality score between two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05) at least 6 months after surgery. Only 2 patients, who were repaired by forearm flaps, showed distinct scars in donor sites while no complications were observed in the patients repaired by anterolateral thigh flaps. Conclusion: Both anterolateral thigh flap and forearm flap have the superiority of survival rate, shape and functional recovery in lesion. Therefore, they are optimistic choices for repairing defects caused by oral cancer.

Key words: Oral and maxillofacial region, Free flap, Repair and reconstruction, Oral cancer

HONG Peng-yu, GAO Lu, QIU Guan-hua, QUAN Hong-zhi, TANG Zhan-gui. Clinical Research on Forearm Flap and Anterolateral Thigh Flap for Reconstructing Postoperative Defects of Oral Cancer[J]. Journal of Oral Science Research, 2019, 35(1): 46-50.

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