Oromandibular reconstruction with simultaneous free flaps: experience on 10 cases.
Composite defects resulting from surgery for advanced oral cancer represent a difficult reconstructive problem and, in some cases, tissutal defects are extensive requiring multiple free flaps. Personal experience is reported with double free-flap technique in the reconstruction of large complex defects in 10 patients treated for T4 oral squamous-cell carcinoma. Fibula osteo-cutaneous free flap was used in association with forearm free flap in 5 cases, fibula osseous-forearm in 3 cases, fibula osseous-rectus abdominis in 1 case, iliac crest-forearm in 1 case. Forearm free flap was used for intra-oral reconstruction in all cases. Total flap survival is 100% and all patients regained adequate oral diet. At the time of evaluation (February 2001), 40% of patients are alive and mean survival rate is 36 months. In conclusion, simultaneous free flap reconstruction, in massive oro-mandibular defects, represents in some selected patients, a good choice to achieve satisfactory aesthetic and functional results.
Bianchi
B
B
Division of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Parma, Italy. bbianchi@ao.pr.it
Ferrari
S
S
Poli
T
T
Bertolini
F
F
Raho
T
T
Sesenna
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*