J Korean Soc Plast Reconstr Surg.  2006 May;33(3):283-288.

Reconstruction of Midfacial Defect Using Various Free Flap

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Institute for Human Tissue Restoration, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pswjlee@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Various vascularized free flaps have been used for midfacial reconstruction after ablative head and neck cancer surgery. The most common donor sites for free flap include latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, and radial forearm. Between 1994 and 2004, 14 patients underwent free flap operation after head and neck cancer ablation, and were reviewed retrospectively. Among 14 free flaps, 8 were latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps, 3 rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps and 3 radial forearm flaps, respectively. The overall survival rate of the flap was 100%. Complications were wound dehiscence(5 cases) and ptosis(1 case). We designed multiple dimensionally folded free flap for midfacial reconstruction. For 3-dimensional flap needs, we used latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. 2-Dimensional flap was latissimus dorsi or rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and 1-dimensional flap was radial forearm flap. In this study we produced an algorithm for midfacial reconstruction. Large volume with many skin paddle defects were best reconstructed with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap or rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap. Radial forearm flap was used for reconstruction of small volume and little skin paddle defects.

Keyword

Free flap; Midfacial reconstruction

MeSH Terms

Forearm
Free Tissue Flaps*
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Humans
Myocutaneous Flap
Rectus Abdominis
Retrospective Studies
Skin
Superficial Back Muscles
Survival Rate
Tissue Donors
Wounds and Injuries
Full Text Links
  • JKSPRS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr