title: Experience With the Use of Free Fasciocutaneous Flap in Through-and-Through Cheek-Buccal Defect Reconstruction: Surgical Outcome and Quality of Life Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Through-and-through cheek-buccal soft tissue defects usually require fasciocutaneous flaps for reconstruction. However, no ideal flap has been established for reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of head and neck reconstruction performed at Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 2003 and 2012 was conducted. Surgical outcomes and quality-of-life assessments between different fasciocutaneous flaps were collected and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five patients received a free anterolateral thigh flap, and 25 patients received a free forearm flap. The flap success rates were 96.4% for the free anterolateral thigh flap and 96% for the free forearm flap. Appearance, swallowing, and speech were less satisfactory in long-term follow-up; and recurrent tumor, flap size (>100 cm²), oral commissure involvement, and long hospital stay (>40 days) were associated with unsatisfactory quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Free fasciocutaneous flap can result in acceptable success rates, but patient satisfaction with appearing, swallowing, and speech function was relatively low after reconstruction. Tumor status (primary or recurrent), flap size, oral commissure involvement, and length of hospital stay are the main factors that affect quality of life.
authors: From the *Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; and †National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chih-Hsun
authors: CH
authors: Lin
authors: Yen-Hao
authors: YH
authors: Chiu
authors: Cherng-Kang
authors: CK
authors: Perng
authors: Wen-Chieh
authors: WC
authors: Liao
authors: Hsu
authors: H
authors: Ma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D002610:Cheek / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome