title: Tongue flap revisited.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the usefulness of single-staged posteriorly based dorsal tongue flap in oral cavity reconstruction following ablative surgery, in terms of flap viability, functional outcome and donor site morbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective database of patients who were reconstructed with dorsal tongue flap between July 2006 and November 2010 was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 27 patients who had tongue flap reconstruction in this period. Size of the defect following excision ranged from 3.5-5 cm in greatest dimension. Marginal mandibulectomy was done in thirteen patients and in twelve patients mucoperiosteal stripping was done. There was no partial or total flap loss in our series. Two patients had minor salivary leak which was managed conservatively. All the patients had adequate mouth opening, good swallowing and speech following surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dorsal tongue flap is a simple and reliable flap for intra oral reconstruction. It provides good functional results without much morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck surgery (Surgical Oncology), Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Anuja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.forename: Subbiah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.forename: Purvi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thakkar
authors.forename: Devendra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chaukar
authors.forename: Prabha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003679:Deglutition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000601:surgery*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000601:surgery*; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome