Clinical Review of Soft Tissue Reconstructive Methods on Intraoral Defects

ABSTRACT

prognosis of the various reconstructive methods on the patients with intraoral soft tissue defect who had been treated at Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pusan National University Hospital from 2003 to 2005, we have reviewed the clinical data of the patients and analysed. The results were as follows1. Tongue flaps have been mainly applied on anterior portion of palate and maxilla. The survival rate was high percent, but the cooperation of patient was inevitable for the success.2. Palatal mucosa rotational flaps were available on relative large defect on palate, oroantral fistula site. The side effect was a scaring band from secondary healing on denuded donor palate site. Sometimes the band came to be a hinderance to swallowing, phonation.3. Forearm free flap was a workhorse flap for everywhere in intraoral defects. We had used the flap on cheek, floor of mouth, tongue without any significant complications. But the application of the flap was required for long operation time, which was disadvantageous to the old, weak patients.4. Cervical platysmal flap could be easily applicable for buccal cheek, floor of mouth after excision of the cancer lesion. The design of the flap could be made simultaneously on neck dissection, but the danger of cancer remnants on the flap always might be remained.5. Buccal fat pad pedicled flap must have been a primary flap for repair of oroantral fistula especially on posterior maxilla.The flap survival will be expected if the considerations for above reconstructive methods on site, size, condition of defects primarily could be made.