title: [Long-term result of free forearm skin flap for repair of soft tissue defects of the oral and maxillofacial regions].
abstract: To evaluate the long-term result of free forearm skin flap in the repair of soft tissue defects of the oral and maxillofacial regions, 26 cases which had received radical resection of maxillofacial tumors were follow-up for 4.5 years. Twenty cases, having complete data were analyzed. In this series, There were 8 males and 12 females, with ages ranged from 40 to 69 years old. The size of the flaps ranged from 4 cm x 5 cm-6 cm x 13 cm. The radial artery and the cephalic vein were used as the donor vessels, and the maxillary artery, superior thyroid artery, external jugular vein and the anterior jugular vein were prepared as the recipient vessels. According to the shape, colour, temperature, sensation, mucosoid degree of the flap, the blood supply and function of hand and the configuration of the forearm, the overall results of the recepient regions in 20 cases were all satisfactory and the overall results of 16 cases donor regions were satifactory in 16 cases. The results were poor in 4 cases. The conclusion were: 1. Free forearm skin flap was worth trying in the repair of soft tissue defects of oral region; 2. The radial artery need not to be reconstructed because of the abandant vascular net-work in the upper limb and 3. The residual scar on the forearm was the main shortcoming, but most of the patients could tolerate it because of the obvious advantages received from the operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microsurgery and Oral Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong Medical College, P. R. China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002610:Cheek / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*