[Clinical study on reconstruction of hemifacial atrophy with serratus anterior free-muscle flap].
OBJECTIVE
To study the method of treating hemifacial atrophy with free serratus muscle flap.


METHODS
Three patients diagnosed as having serious hemifacial atrophy was treated with free serratus muscle flap. The root of the flap was thoracodorsal artery and thoracodorsal vein, which was anastomosed with superficial temporal artery and vein, facial artery and vein, lingual artery and vein, and so on. During the operation, long thoracic nerve was dissected and anastomosed with facial nerve. The sizes of the flaps were 12 cm x 8 cm - 16 cm x 12 cm.


RESULTS
All free-muscle flaps healed well after the transplant. The face and buccal area looked chubby and rounded. There were no obvious protuberance and discontentment on the buccal area. The shoulders of all patients moved well. The facial contour of the patients recovered well during the follow-up period (1-3 years).


CONCLUSIONS
The method has a good result. The long-term effect needs further study.
Tian
Weidong
W
China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu Sichuan, 610041, PR China. drtwd@sina.com
Wang
Dong
D
Liu
Leu
L
Huang
Fuguo
F
Xie
Qian
Q
Yan
Zhengbin
Z
Li
Yisong
Y
Li
Shengwei
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005150:Facial Hemiatrophy / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D016896:Treatment Outcome