title: Medial sural artery perforator flap for tongue and floor of mouth reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The radial forearm flap is frequently considered the first choice for tongue reconstruction, but the disadvantages of donor site morbidity are well known. The search for another thin skin flap as an alternative has led to the application of the medial sural artery perforator flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 12 medial sural artery perforator flaps to reconstruct tongue and floor of mouth following cancer ablation. We paid attention to the major perforator (vein >or= 1 mm) as the vascular relay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most flaps were raised with a single perforator. The size of the skin paddle varied from 9 cm x 5 cm to 14 cm x 12 cm. The mean thickness of the flap was 5.2 mm. We reexplored 1 patient for venous insufficiency and could not salvage the flap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The thin medial sural artery perforator flap permits high accuracy of tongue restoration and reduces the morbidity at the donor site.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. shaoliang1025@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Shao-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tim-Mo
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Niann-Tzyy
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yi-Jan
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Yaoh-Shiang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000601:surgery*; D037981:Neck Dissection; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery