Functional Outcomes of Staged Triangular Cheek Flap Commissuroplasty in Oral Cancer Patients With Free Flap...

This study evaluates functional outcomes of triangular check flap commissuroplasty after free flap reconstruction of through-and-through defects. Twenty-two patients were reviewed from the institutional data set. Outcome variables included postoperative diet, drooling, and change in maximal incisal opening (MIO). A telephonic assessment of the drooling severity and frequency scale (DSFS) was also performed. A Wilcoxon signed rank test for differences between groups and a univariate analysis were performed. The majority of patients were reconstructed with an ALT flap (82%). No significant change in type of diet ( P =0.87) or MIO ( P =0.63) was noted. Eighty percent of patients reported improvement in drooling with DSFS score being 6.5 ± 2.1 and 4.2 ± 1.6 ( P =0.02) preoperatively and postoperatively. No predictors were identified on UV analysis. Triangular cheek flap commissuroplasty did not demonstrate a significant change in MIO or type of diet after revision surgery. In addition, a gross improvement in drooling was noted.