Retrospective Study Of 42 Submental Island Flaps Repairing After Oral Maxillofacial Region Neoplasms

Objective: Our study is to investigate the feasibility of submental island myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of tissue defects in patients with oral carcinomas with clinical positive node, and summarized the introperative as well as postoperative cautions.Method: forty-two patients underwent reconstruction with submental island myocutaneous flap were retrospectively reviewed, in the department of head and neck surgery, cancer hospital of Guangxi Medical University from April 2002 to December 2008. The twenty-four patients with N+ neck were peformed the operation"extending resection of maxillofacial region carcinoma + homolateral neck dissection + reconstruction with submental island myocutaneous flap + radiation therapy with themotherapy in postoperative". The other eighteen patients with N₀ neck were peformed the operation"extending resection of maxillofacial region carcinoma+ reconstruction with submental island myocutaneous flap"Through the reference of clinical records, telephone follow-up and recheck information got clinical data.Results:4 of 42 patients were died of recurrence within 2 years postoperatively; 5 cases showed lymphonodes metastasis resulting in reoperation, recheck the flap growth regularly; 1 case encountered complete submental island myocutaneous flap necrosis; 2 cases were out of follow-up. The cN⁺ group 2 year survival rate was 87.5%. The cN₀ group 2 year survival rate was 94.4%, there was no significant difference (P>0.05). And 90% of patients were satisfied with their appearance, and had oral diet with no difficulty.Conclusion: we believe that submental island myocutaneous flap is simple to perform, concealed area, fitting thickness and kept alive. Submental island myocutaneous flap was a good choice in reconstruction oral maxillofacial region defect for patients with oral carcinomas. Through two years follow-up, we concluded that there was no influence in prognosis for patients with simultaneous preparation of submental island myocutaneous flap and perform of radical neck dissection with radiation therapy. We concluded that routine postoperative radiation doses do not influence the success and healing of the flap.