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Shape-modified radial forearm free tissue transfer in oral cavity reconstruction: Technique and a prospective
Sachin Chavre1, Krishnakumar Thankappan1, Jimmy Mathew1
1Department of Head and Neck, Plastic and reconstructive surgery, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Background:
Donor site morbidity is a significant drawback of the radial forearm flap. The purpose of this study is to describe a new shape-modified technique. The donor site morbidity was compared to that of the conventional technique, in terms of the esthetic, functional outcomes, and quality of life (QOL).
Methods:
This is a prospective study of 30 patients with oral cancer who underwent reconstruction using radial forearm flaps, in two groups.
Results:
Regarding the donor site characteristics, the differences in the time for healing (P = .006), the scar score (P < .0001), and the QOL score (P < .0001) were significant. The number of patients with sensory deficit was 11 in the conventional group and 3 in the shape-modified group (P = .009).
Conclusions:
The functional and esthetic outcomes of the donor site were better for the shape-modified technique. It is best suited for small defects. Compromise of the pedicle length is a limitation.
