FOREARM FREE FLAP TRANSPLANTATION IN REPAIR OF TONGUE DEFECTS / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

The tongue and its surrounding structures have special anatomical and functional characters and how to restore its shape and function after glossectomy (especially total glossectomy) still remains a difficult problem. The authors devised a new method of repair by using a forearm free flap with results in 16 out of 17 patients. The selection and shaping of the flap, the evaluation of the recipient site and its blood vessels, the prevention of the oral infection,the monitoring of the circulatory status of the flap and the evalution of the operative result were discussed.