title: Functional assessment: Free thin anterolateral thigh flap versus free radial forearm reconstruction for hemiglossectomy defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To compare free thin anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap with free radial forearm (FRF) flap in the reconstruction of hemiglossectomy defects, and to introduce our methods and experience in the tongue reconstruction with free thin ALT flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinicopathologic data of 46 tongue carcinoma cases hospitalized from December 2009 to April 2014 were obtained from Nangjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University. All the subjects were evaluated for the articulation and the swallowing function 3 months after the surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among these 46 patients, 12 patients underwent tongue reconstruction after hemiglossectomy with ALT flap; 34 patients underwent tongue reconstruction with FRF flap. The differences in the incidence of vascular crisis, the speech and the swallowing function between two groups were not significant (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thin ALT flap could be one of the ideal flaps for hemiglossectomy defect reconstruction with its versatility in design, long pedicle with a suitable vessel diameter, and the neglectable donor site morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nangjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 30 Zhongyang Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China, guowensun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mingxing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Guowen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qingang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Enyi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yujia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013848:Thigh / Q000601:surgery; D014059:Tongue / Q000601:surgery*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*