Surgical anatomy of the submental artery perforator flap and assessment for application in postoperative reconstruction following oral cancer surgery: a prospective clinical study

Contralateral facial artery myomucosal island flap for the reconstruction of T2-T3 oncologic oral defects

Objectives

To avoid the oncologic risks of ipsilateral regional flaps, this study aimed to explore the feasibility and clinical outcomes of the contralateral-based facial artery myomucosal island flap (C-FAMMIF) for oral T2-T3 oncologic defects reconstruction.

Methods

A study of flap anatomy was conducted on 7 cadaver samples and a cohort of 24 patients who received C-FAMMIF reconstruction after malignancy resection were retrospectively researched. A balanced anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) group of 47 patients was extracted as control group using propensity score matching method. Progression-free survival (PFS), functional outcomes, and donor site complications were assessed.

Results

Consistent blood supply and drainage through facial artery and vein with median maximum pedicle length of 106 mm supported contralateral reconstruction. The superficial vein drainage pattern indicated safer flap harvest at contralateral neck under circumstances of ipsilateral neck dissections. The pedicle and marginal facial nerve formed three anatomical patterns. The surgical management of each was described. Patients with ipsilateral pN+ neck accounted for 41.7% and 40.4% in the C-FAMMIF and ALT group, respectively. The 2-year PFS rate between the C-FAMMIF and ALT groups was not significantly different (88.2% in C-FAMMIF group and 84.6% in ALT group, respectively, p = 0.6358). Promising recoveries were observed for swallowing function and tactile sensation. The donor sites healed upon primary closure without trismus or permanent facial palsy.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that C-FAMMIF is feasible and safe for T2-T3 oral oncologic defect reconstruction in patients with ipsilateral cN+ neck.

Functional and esthetic reconstruction of composite lower lip defects with a motor-innervated chimeric facial artery buccinator myomucosal-submental island flap

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the functional and esthetic outcomes of a chimeric innervated buccinator myomucosal-submental island flap (BMM-SIF) for large composite lower lip reconstruction.

METHODS

This retrospective study included five patients who underwent lower lip tumor resection and BMM-SIF reconstruction at the Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, between August 2021 and February 2023. Lip function was evaluated using water leakage, cheek puffing tests, and superficial electromyography. Lip appearance was observed using photographs and evaluated through subjective interviews. Donor-site conditions, including facial symmetry and mouth opening, were monitored.

RESULTS

All the BMM-SIFs survived. Drooling was the main complication observed shortly after surgery. The water leakage test showed complete oral competence for liquid holding in the 7th month; however, moderate air leakage was present in two patients. Electromyography revealed myoelectric signals from the innervated buccinator at the recipient site. Facial expression and food intake were typically managed. The shape and projection of the vermilion were harmonious and satisfactory for each patient. Neither microstomia nor mouth opening limitation was observed, with an average inter-incisor distance of 37.25±4.4 mm.

CONCLUSION

Chimeric motor-innervated BMM-SIF effectively reconstructed large full-thickness lower-lip defects with satisfactory functional and esthetic outcomes.

Application of prolonged submental perforator flap to repair the postoperative defect of upper airway malignancy

OBJECTIVES

To explore the feasibility of making a submental perforator flap distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint under the guidance of neck-enhanced CT and repairing the postoperative defect of upper airway malignancy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study retrospectively analysed 19 cases of upper airway malignant tumours treated in our department from January 2021 to September 2022, including 17 males and 2 females, aged 43-70 years.

SITE OF LESIONS

15 cases were in the laryngopharynx, 2 cases in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus and 2 cases on the soft palate. All the lesions were malignant and at stages T2-4N0-2M0.

SURGICAL METHOD

The extended submental perforator flap (size 22-15 × 6-7 cm) was prefabricated distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint. After tumour resection, the flap was used to repair the postoperative defect. Fifteen cases of laryngopharyngeal malignant tumours were repaired using the extended submental perforator flap with the vascular pedicle located on the opposite side of the tumour body. Two cases of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus tumours were repaired using the extended submental perforator flap combined with the temporalis muscle flap. The soft palate was completely removed in two patients with soft palate cancer and repaired using the folded extended submental perforator flap.

RESULTS

Before the surgery, the reflux vein was observed by neck-enhanced CT, including 12 cases returning to the internal jugular vein and 7 cases to the external jugular vein. All 19 cases in which flaps were used survived, and 1 case had a postoperative infection. All the patients had nasal feeding removed after surgery. The tracheal cannula was removed from the patients with laryngeal preservation, and the pronunciation was satisfactory. Among them, patients with soft palate cancer repair had mild nasal reflux symptoms with smooth breathing. During the follow-up period of 4-24 months, 18 patients had no tumour recurrence or metastasis, and 1 patient had cervical lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the use of a submental perforator flap distal to the connecting line between the mastoid and the sternoclavicular joint to repair postoperative defects for upper airway malignancy as an innovative surgical approach that provides more tissue and good arteriovenous blood supply to adjacent sites. This method has high clinical value and provides an effective option for repairing postoperative defects of upper airway malignancy.

The submental island flap - should we be worried about lymph node transfer? An anatomical and histological study

The submental island flap has been increasing in popularity for both oncological and non-oncological reconstruction of the head and neck. However, the original description of this flap left it with the unfortunate designation as a lymph node flap. There has thus been significant debate on the oncological safety of the flap. In this cadaveric study the perforator system suppling the skin island is delineated and the lymph node yield of the skeletonised flap is analysed histologically. A safe and consistent approach to raising the perforator flap modification is described and the pertinent anatomy, and an oncological discussion with regards to the submental island perforator flap histological lymph node yield discussed. Ethical approval was received from Hull York Medical School for the anatomical dissection of 15 sides of cadavers. 6 x 4cm submental island flaps were raised following a vascular infusion of a 50/50 mix of acrylic paint. The flap size mimics the T1/T2 tumour defects these flaps would usually be used to reconstruct.The submental vascular anatomy, including length, diameter, venous drainage patterns, and the skin perforator system was documented. The dissected submental flaps were then histologically examined for the presence of lymph nodes by a head and neck pathologist at Hull University Hospitals Trust department of histology. The total length of the submental island arterial system, the distance from where the facial artery branches off from the carotid to the submental artery perforator entering the anterior belly of digastric or skin, averaged 91.1mm with anaverage facial artery length of 33.1mm and submental artery of 58mm. Vessel diameter for microvascular reconstruction was 1.63mm for the submental artery and 3mm for the facial artery. The most common venous anatomy drainage pattern was the submental island venaecomitantes draining to the retromandibular system then to the internal jugular vein. Almost half the specimens had a dominant superficial submental perforator allowing the ability to raise this as a skin only system. There were generally 2-4 perforators passing through the anterior belly of digastric to supply the skin paddle.73.3% (11/15) of the skeletonised flaps contained no lymph nodes on histological examination. The perforator version of the submental island flap can be safely and consistently raised with inclusion of the anterior belly of digastric. In approximately half the cases a dominant superficial branch allows for a skin only paddle. Due to the vessel diameter, free tissue transfer is predictable.Venous anatomy is variable and care needs to be taken when raising this flap. The skeletonised version of the perforator flap is largely devoid of nodal yield and on oncological review a 16.3% recurrence rate is equivalent to current standard treatment.

Comprehensive Review of the Submental Flap in Head and Neck and Facial Reconstruction: What Plastic Surgeons Need to Know

ABSTRACT

Since its first introduction by Martin and colleagues (1993) and with further revisions by Sterne et al (1996), the submental artery flap (SMAF) has proven to be an effective, reliable, safe, and valuable option in head, neck, and facial reconstructive surgeries. The SMAF utilizes a long pedicle based on the submental artery, a branch of the facial artery, which provides good reach to the lower two-thirds of the face with excellent cosmetic outcomes. It also maintains a good skin color match for facial and cervical defects with a mostly hidden donor site scar (in the majority of cases the donor site can be primarily closed after raising the flap). Although the use of the SMAF is associated with high patient and surgeon satisfaction along with low rates of complications, disadvantages including flap thickness and the hair-bearing nature of the submental skin, which may be problematic for coverage of orofacial defects, especially in male patients. Although it has been almost 30 years since its introduction, and the SMAF has been successfully used in over 500 reported cases of pediatric and adult patients, a comprehensive review of the different aspects of the SMAF is lacking in the medical literature.