Submental flap in intraoral reconstruction after pathologic resections: indications and limitations.
BACKGROUND
Submental flap is used to reconstruct intraoral and facial soft tissue defects. Submental flap is used for intraoral reconstruction in eighteen patients. Complications of this flap that includes local recurrence, remaining metastatic lymph node in the field of neck dissection, wound dehiscence at donor site and probability of transferring metastatic tissue are evaluated.


METHODS
This flap is used as an alternative to free tissue transfer, and this article presents 18 cases after pathologic lesion resections, such as verrocous carcinoma (2 patients), odontogenic myxoma (1 patient), oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (10 patients), adenoid cystic carcinoma (2 patients), leukoplakia (2 patients) as well as osteosarcoma in one patient.


RESULTS
There was no case of local recurrence and remaining metastatic lymph node in the field of neck dissection. A case of metastatic lymph node involvement in posterior triangle of the neck, 2 years after surgery was occurred. One case of metastatic tissue transfer and a case of wound dehiscence in submental region are reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Submental flap is an useful aid for reconstruction of oral cavity mucosal defects. Its use in oral SCC reconstruction should be done in carefully selected cases.
Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Vakilabad Blvd, Mashhad, Iran.
Amin
A
Rahpeyma
Faculty of Dentistry, Dental Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Vakilabad Blvd, P.O. Box 91735-984, Mashhad, Iran.
Saeedeh
S
Khajehahmadi
Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Vakilabad Blvd, Mashhad, Iran.
Farnoush
F
Razmara
Oral lesions; Reconstruction; Soft tissue defects; Submental flap