OBJECTIVES: After resection of the tumors of oral cavity adjacent to the mandible, it is a common situation that the whole of one side of the gingival mucosal segment has to be stripped off the mandible to get an adequate margin. When a cutaneous flap is used for reconstruction, it has to be hitched to the teeth to get a watertight seal. We describe a technique to hitch the flap to the adjacent teeth in such an instance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The technique was applied in 10 patients with oral cancer, resected, and reconstructed with cutaneous flaps. RESULTS: The technique was found to be effective in all 10 patients. Adequate seal was obtained in all patients. Oral diet was started within 7 days. CONCLUSION: An effective and simple technique to approximate a cutaneous flap to the teeth-bearing mandible, when all the mucosa is removed as part of oncological resection, is reported.
OBJECTIVES: After resection of the tumors of oral cavity adjacent to the mandible, it is a common situation that the whole of one side of the gingival mucosal segment has to be stripped off the mandible to get an adequate margin. When a cutaneous flap is used for reconstruction, it has to be hitched to the teeth to get a watertight seal. We describe a technique to hitch the flap to the adjacent teeth in such an instance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The technique was applied in 10 patients with oral cancer, resected, and reconstructed with cutaneous flaps. RESULTS: The technique was found to be effective in all 10 patients. Adequate seal was obtained in all patients. Oral diet was started within 7 days. CONCLUSION: An effective and simple technique to approximate a cutaneous flap to the teeth-bearing mandible, when all the mucosa is removed as part of oncological resection, is reported.
Entities:
Keywords:
Free flap; flap-hitching stich; head and neck cancers; oral cancer; reconstruction
Authors: Fábio Roberto Pinto; Carina Rosa Malena; Christiana Maria Ribeiro Salles Vanni; Fábio de Aquino Capelli; Leandro Luongo de Matos; Jossi Ledo Kanda Journal: Sao Paulo Med J Date: 2010-12 Impact factor: 1.044