title: Treatment and long-term follow-up of oral cancer postoperative sialorrhea with dermal sling operation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reconstruction of a full-thickness defect that includes oral commissure presents a considerable challenge to maxillofacial and plastic surgeons. The goals of reconstruction are both functional and cosmetic. Sialorrhea, or drooling, is a major problem after flap reconstruction and influences the quality of life of the patient. In this article, we report on our experience performing a dermal sling operation to treat postoperative sialorrhea in patients with oral cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperative and postoperative levels of sialorrhea were evaluated based on the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale. Dermal sling operations were performed on 27 patients from January 2000 to December 2013. In these patients, 12 cases were reviewed and followed up over 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 12 patients, 11 were men and one was a woman, with the mean age of 58 years (range, 40-79 years). There were no operative complications. The mean preoperative score was 4.75 (range, 3-7), and the mean postoperative score was 3.83 (range, 2-5). This change was significant (P=0.005), with valuation with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The mean time of follow-up was 3.5 years (range, 1.1-7.7 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dermal sling operation is an acceptable treatment for postoperative sialorrhea in patients with commissure-involved oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Tang
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jung-Hsien
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Shyue-Yih
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Horng
authors.forename: Nai-Chen
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsiung-Fei
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Jin-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong-Shiee
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013997:Time Factors