title: [Reconstruction of tissue defects by infrahyoid myocutaneous flap in elder patients after oral cancer surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of repairing tissue defects by infrahyoid myocutaneous flap after oral cancer surgery in elder patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From December 2005 to November 2010, we used infrahyoid myocutaneous flaps to reconstruct soft tissue defects in 19 elder patients after radical operation of oral cancer. There were 11 males and 8 females with the age range of 65 to 89 years (average: 72.8) .The lesions included 10 tongue cancers, 2 buccal cancers, 6 mouth floor cancers and 1 gingival cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All wound healed uneventfully, and all the 19 infrahyoid myocutaneous flaps survived without total or partial necrosis. The results were satisfactory both in appearance and functions. The patients were followed up for 6 months to 5 years, no tumour relapse and metastasis occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The procedure of preparing the infrahyoid myocutaneous flap is simple and the result is reliable. The flap is useful for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in elder patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Ningbo Medical Center, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. kqy03@sina.com
authors.forename: Jian-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chang-long
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yong-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms; D064827:Myocutaneous Flap; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D013524:Surgical Flaps