Selection of Various Free Flap Donor Sites in Palatomaxillary Reconstruction

PURPOSE: A palatal defect following maxillectomy can cause multiple problems like the rhinolalia, leakage of foods into the nasal cavity, and hypernasality. Use of a prosthetic is the preferred method for obturating a palate defect, but for rehabilitating palatal function, prosthetics have many shortcomings. In a small defect, local flap is a useful method, however, the size of flap which can be elevated is limited. In 12 cases of palatomaxillary defect, we used various microvascular free flaps in reconstructing the palate and obtained good functional results. METHOD: Between 1990 and 2004, 12 patients underwent free flap operation after head and neck cancer ablation, and were reviewed retrospectively. Among the 12 free flaps, 6 were latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps, 3 rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps, and 3 radial forearm flaps. RESULT: All microvascular flap surgery was successful. Mean follow up time was 8 months and after the follow up time all patients reported satisfactory speech and swallowing. Wound dehiscence was observed in 4 cases, ptosis was in 1 case and fistula was in 1 case, however, rhinolalia, leakage of food, or swallowing difficultly was not reported in the 12 cases. CONCLUSION: We used various microvascular flaps for palatomaxillary reconstruction. For 3-dimensional flap needs, we used the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap to obtain enough volume for filling the defect. Two-dimensional flaps were designed with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, rectus abdominis flap and radial forearm flap. For cases with palatal defect only, we used the radial forearm flap. In palatomaxillary reconstruction, we can choose various free flap techniques according to the number of skin paddles and flap volume needed.

A Dermal Turnover Flap for Treating the Accessory Tragus

PURPOSE: Accessory tragus is a fairly common congenital malformation and usually located at pretragal area. Surgical removal is a common treatment of accessory tragus irrespective of location and morphology. Most accessory tragi do not have depression site around them, but some do. So in those cases, simple surgical excision was not enough to promote the aesthetic facial appearance. For depression site remodeling, the excess amount of skin and cartilage need to be remained partially instead of total excision. This method can achieve the symmetric contour of pretragal area. The authors excised the epidermis and cartilaginous tissue totally and remained the dermis for reconstruction of the depression site around accessory tragus. The depression site is filled with dermal turnover flap. The purpose of this report is to present new idea to promote cosmetic result in treatment of accessory tragus containing the depression site. METHODS: Two patients had a pair of accessory tragi at pretragal area. One was a common featured accessory tragus, but the other was different. Depression site was found around accessory tragus. After epidermis and cartilaginous tissue were removed from it, dermis component was used as turnover flap for reconstruction of depression site. RESULTS: After accessory tragus was removed and depression site was reconstructed, facial contour and cosmetic result was achieved. Complication such as flap necrosis and wound dehiscence was not observed. CONCLUSION: The accessory tragus has variant morphology and degree of invasive depth. And some has a depression site around them. In those cases, simple surgical removal results in morphological distorsion and do not promote facial symmetry. The authors suggest dermal turnover flap as reconstruction method of the depression site. This method improves both surgical outcome and cosmetic result.