title: Sensory recovery with innervated and noninnervated flaps after total lower lip reconstruction: a comparative study.
abstract: This study compares sensory recovery after total lower lip reconstruction in a wide variety of flaps including bilateral depressor anguli oris flap, submental island flap, bilateral fan flaps, radial forearm flap, and pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps in a large number of patients. Spontaneous return of flap sensation was documented by clinical testing in the majority (3%) of patients who underwent total lower lip reconstruction. Sensory recovery occurred more often in patients with fasciocutaneous free flaps than in those with musculocutaneous flaps. Flap sensation to touch, two-point discrimination, and temperature perception was correlated with age, smoking, and radiation treated patients. We conclude that reasonable sensory recovery may be expected in noninnervated flaps, provided that the major regional sensorial nerve has not been sacrificed, and also provided that the patients age is relatively young and that enough surface contact area of the recipient bed is present without marked scarring. This trial was regestered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Chi CTR) with ChiCTR-ONC-13003656.
authors.affiliation: İzmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Research and Training Hospital, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 35360 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayhan Oral
authors.affiliation: Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Research and Training Hospital, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 34371 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kamuran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeynep Sevim
authors.affiliation: Abant İzzet Baysal University, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 14280 Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Görgü
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Plastic Surgeon, 35590 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yücel Öztan