title: Reconstruction of extensive through-and-through cheek defects with free anterolateral thigh flap.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical features and therapeutic efficacy of extensive through-and-through cheek defects reconstruction with free anterolateral thigh flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 11 patients underwent simultaneous tumor radical resection and through-and-through cheek defects reconstruction with free anterolateral thigh flap.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In these 11 patients, 7 patients had undergone the reconstruction of through-and-through cheek defects with the folded anterolateral thigh flap (2 skin islands and an intervening de-epithelialized zone); 4 patients had undergone the reconstruction of through-and-through cheek defects with the 2 separate skin paddles anterolateral thigh flap in 1 single pedicle. All of these 11 flaps were free fasciocutaneous anterolateral thigh flaps. The subcutaneous fat thickness of the anterolateral thigh flap is less than 1.5 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The free anterolateral thigh flap was one of the versatile soft tissue flaps in the extensive through-and-through cheek defects reconstruction.
authors: From the *Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Institute and Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing University Medical School, Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing, China.
authors: Guowen
authors: G
authors: Sun
authors: Mingxing
authors: M
authors: Lu
authors: Qingang
authors: Q
authors: Hu
authors: Enyi
authors: E
authors: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002610:Cheek / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D061525:Perforator Flap / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods