Repair of anterior floor of mouth defects by a central or paramedian island tongue flap

Reconstruction of large defects of anterior floor of mouth with free flaps using a novel individualized flap design method

The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel individualized flap design method for large anterior floor of the mouth (AFOM) defect reconstruction, review experience with the use of this flap design method for large AFOM defect reconstruction, and assess its functional results. A retrospective study of patients who received large AFOM defect reconstruction with free flaps was conducted. There was a cohort of patients who were treated using the novel individualized flap design method and a cohort without flap design. Functional outcomes were evaluated with appropriate scales. Outcomes were analyzed, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. 22 patients received the individualized flap design, while 21 patients were treated without a special flap design. All flaps survived. All free flaps harvested with the novel individualized flap design method better matched AFOM defects. Relative to patients without flap design, patients in the novel individualized flap design group showed significant improvement in speech intelligibility (p = 0.036) and swallowing function (p = 0.019). Within the limitation of the study it seems that large AFOM defect reconstruction with the novel individualized flap design method can not only cover and close the wound to avoid oral-neck fistulae, but also maintains tongue mobility to achieve better functional outcomes than in patients without flap design.

Dental implants placed into alveolar clefts reconstructed with tongue flaps and bone grafts

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe a case series using surgical and prosthodontic modifications of tongue flaps necessary to adapt them for use in the reconstruction of large cleft deformities refractory to customary measures using dental implants and to study their outcomes in patients with complex cleft lip and palate deformities.

STUDY DESIGN

Five patients were treated with iliac crest bone grafts and covered by anteriorly based tongue flaps divided at either 3 or 4 weeks after surgery. The patients were followed clinically and radiographically for 3-12 years after placement of their dental implants to monitor implant survival and success.

RESULTS

One of the 5 patients suffered a partial tongue flap detachment, graft dehiscence, and recurrence of an oronasal fistula, which was successfully treated by shifting the tongue flap tissue from its new location in the palate. A total of 18 dental implants were placed into bone-grafted tissue covered by the tongue flaps. There was 1 implant failure. There were no cases of periimplantitis or bone loss in the 17 surviving implants.

CONCLUSIONS

Tongue flaps are rarely used clinical entities with a very narrow range of indications. Tongue flaps are useful in the preprosthetic reconstruction of select cases with large residual oronasal fistulae with soft tissue deficits due to scarring from previously failed surgery. Tongue flaps are extremely stressful procedures for patients to endure. Patient selection is of the utmost importance.

[The central island tongue flap for the reconstruction of the anterior floor of the mouth]

BACKGROUND

There are several techniques described for the reconstruction of the anterior floor of mouth after tumour surgery. Here, we point out the advantages of the central island tongue flap for this indication.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report on 20 patients with medium sized defect in the anterior floor of mouth, which was reconstructed with the central island tongue flap. Besides this surgical technique, we discuss the results of oral rehabilitation after a follow-up period of at least 3 months.

RESULTS

There was now flap necrosis or loss, and the median time for flap formation was less than 45 min. In the follow-up we found successful oral rehabilitation in speech and swallowing.