title: [Functional soft-palate reconstruction with radial forearm free flaps].
abstract: Oropharyngeal cancer of the soft palate is a therapeutic challenge. This is due to crucial importance of velopharyngeal competence for articulation and swallowing. Patient counseling must present the whole therapeutic spectrum in order to receive informed consent. Basically, in primary therapy of oropharyngeal cancer multimodal concepts have to be considered including surgical resection and radiochemotherapy. With regard to the occasional difficulties predicting the functional outcome after primary therapy the ladder of reconstructive options has to be discussed a priori. Among numerous pedicled flaps the radial forearm free flap nowadays belongs definitely in the surgical armoury, which offers almost ideal reconstructive possibilities after extensive resections. This implies some additional aspects in pre- and postoperative workup that are reviewed in this article.
authors: Klinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohrenheilkunde der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/M, Germany. sebastian.strieth@kgu.de
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Strieth
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Stöver
mesh_terms: D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000517:prevention & control