Functional rehabilitation following resection of the floor of the mouth: the nasolabial flap revisited.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to analyse the results of treatment following reconstruction of intraoral soft tissue using a nasolabial flap, with particular consideration of functional aspects.


METHODS
In 26 patients (over a period of 10 years), the intraoral repair of the defect was carried out in the anterior floor of the mouth, 19 have received a unilateral and seven a bilateral nasolabial flap. The defects were caused by resection of squamous cell carcinomas (T1-T2) of the intraoral mucosa in 24 cases and osteoradionecrosis with soft tissue loss in two cases.


RESULTS
Complications of local wound healing were observed in three cases. In 23 patients the subsequent prosthetic rehabilitation was successful and allowed a return of masticatory function. In the other three cases, a secondary operation for flap remodelling would have been preferred, but the patients declined these operations.


CONCLUSIONS
The nasolabial flap for replacement of soft tissue in the floor of the mouth represents a functional and aesthetically satisfactory alternative to reconstruction by microsurgically anastomosed flaps in cases with defects of up to 5 x 5 cm in size, especially in older, medically compromised patients who are therefore of poorer surgical risk.
Maurer
Peter
P
Department of Oral and Plastic Maxillofacial Surgery, Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. peter.maurer@medizin.uni-halle.de
Eckert
Alexander W
AW
Schubert
Johannes
J
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D015921:Dental Implants; D003778:Dentures; D004954:Esthetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008866:Microsurgery; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D010025:Osteoradionecrosis / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
D015921:Dental Implants