title: Use of a folded reverse facial-submental artery submental island flap to reconstruct soft palate defects following cancer ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although several techniques have been described for the repair of soft palate defects, soft palate reconstruction remains challenging. This study was performed to evaluate swallowing and speech functions in patients undergoing placement of folded reverse facial-submental artery submental island flaps (FRFF) to reconstruct soft palate defects following cancer ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  FRFFs were designed for eight patients with soft palate defects resulting from soft palatal squamous cell carcinoma ablation. The clinical stages of tumours were I in two patients, II in four patients, and III in two patients. FRFFs were created to reconstruct soft palate defects. Swallowing and speech functions were evaluated 3 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One minor flap failure occurred, but all flaps survived. No donor-site problem occurred. Five patients managed ingestion of a solid diet, two managed a soft diet, and one remained on a liquid diet. Six patients achieved normal speech, one achieved intelligible speech, and one retained slurred speech. The patients were followed for 8-48 months; seven patients were living with no evidence of disease, and one was living with disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FRFF is reliable for soft palate defect reconstruction following cancer ablation and can achieve satisfactory swallowing and speech functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yan-jiang Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Da-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yan-jiang Road, Guangzhou 510120, China. Electronic address: drchen@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Wei-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yan-jiang Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yan-jiang Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064827:Myocutaneous Flap / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D015996:Survival Rate; D060053:Transplant Donor Site / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Facial artery; Oral pharyngeal cancer; Soft palate defect; Submental artery; Submental flap