Myofascial flap without skin for intra-oral reconstruction. 2: Clinical studies.
BACKGROUND
Based on the results of our animal experiment, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of myofascial graft materials in the reconstruction of intra-oral soft-tissue defects.


METHODS
An axial-pattern or random-pattern myofascial flap was grafted to reconstruct oral soft-tissue defects caused by tumor resection in ten patients. A pectoralis major myofascial flap was employed in four patients, and a platysma myofascial flap was employed in six patients.


RESULTS
All flaps survived, and epithelialization progressed gradually from the surrounding incised mucosal margin. Cicatricial contracture of the wound seemed to be mild and the regenerated mucosa was more flexible than skin. Because the myofascial tissue had only raw surfaces, the handling of the flaps in the oral cavity was very flexible. Moreover, cosmetically unsatisfactory scar formation and dysfunction at the donor site were mild.


CONCLUSIONS
We feel that the myofascial graft procedure is a very useful option for the reconstruction of intra-oral soft-tissue defects, and will soon become a common procedure. We refer to this procedure as the "biological-guided mucosa regeneration (BGMR)" technique.
Wada
T
T
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Wakayama Medical College, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama 641-0012, Japan.
Okamoto
K
K
Nakanishi
Y
Y
Nakano
H
H
Iwagami
Y
Y
Morita
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D018583:Pliability; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome