Reconstruction by lateral cervical flap of perioral and oral cavity: clinical and experimental studies

These clinical studies include 75 patients, followed up for 2 to 5 years: 37 females and 38 males. Age ranged between 5 and 81 years (median, 46 years). These cases were seen during a period of 6 years. There were 61 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma; these cases include 25 cases of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, 24 cases of moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, and 12 cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. These cases were treated by adjuvant chemotherapy with radical surgery and deep x-ray therapy. In 23 cases, the lateral cervical flap (LCF) was used as an excess for radical resection of supraomohyoid neck dissection; in 10 cases, the LCF was used for reconstruction of cases with posttraumatic missile injuries, and in 4 cases, platysma muscle flap was used for reconstruction of underdeveloped masseter muscle in cases with mild hemifacial microsomia. Experimental studies were performed on rabbits for reconstruction of the lateral side of the tongue and submental region to assess the viability of LCF. In conclusion, the flap proved to be an ideal and most reliable flap for reconstruction of both perioral and oral defects after radical cancer surgery and posttraumatic missile injury deformities.