title: [Clinical study on the recovery of sensory function in tissue flaps repairing the defect of oral and maxillofacial region]
abstract: The recovery of sensibility in 29 cases non-neurolorized tissue flaps and 4 cases neurolorized flaps have been studied clinically. The results showed that:the sensory function started to return from 3 months after operation and recovered gradually.Pain sensibility recovered first,followed by tactile,thermal and two-point discrimination sensibility.The recovery usually occured from edge to centre of the flap 2-3 years after operation,about 65.5% nonneurolorized flaps obtained good recovery of sensibility.The recovery rate of pain,tactile,thermal and two-point discrimination sensibililty was 64.7%,64.7%,53.0% and 23.5% respectively.Flaps recovered better than myocutaneous flaps.The recovery of sensibility of the neurolorized flaps occurred early and quickly.All 4 cases obtained excellent sensory recovery including two-point discrimination sensibility.The results suggest that:the sensory function of tissue flaps come from not only surrounding,but also deep tissue,any factor that can cause decrease of quality and quantity of regenerated nerve endings will inhibit flap from recovering its sensory function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Nanjing 210029,China.
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Xing