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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Coronoid-Temporalis Pedicled Flap for Orbital Floor Defect Reconstruction
Published on: December 5, 2025
Temporalis muscle flap for reconstruction of skull base defects
Jesse E Smith1, Yadranko Ducic, Robert T Adelson
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Background:
The temporalis muscle flap (TMF) is a valuable reconstructive technique utilized in a variety of challenging defects. However, its use for repair of skull base defects is less commonly reported.
Methods:
A retrospective chart review was conducted for 35 patients who underwent reconstruction of skull base defects between March 1999 and July 2006 at a tertiary referral hospital. Patients with skull base defects after trauma or extirpative surgery underwent reconstruction with a TMF. The measured outcomes were as follows: defect size/location, need for additional flaps, bone necrosis, hardware exposure, dehiscence, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, and meningitis.
Results:
Forty-two patients underwent reconstruction with a TMF, and 35/42 patient records were available for review. No flap failures, 1 transient CSF leak, 3 hardware exposures distant from the temporalis recipient site, and 3 hydroxyapatite cement infections or foreign body reaction were observed.
Conclusion:
The TMF represents a versatile reconstructive technique employed with minimal morbidity and a low complication rate to repair defects of the skull base.
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