[Flap-reconstruction in mouth and oropharynx. A clinical comparison of methods (author's transl)]

The possible methods for plastic reconstruction after resection of malignant tumors in the mouth and oropharynx are reported. A total of 165 patients, operated upon between 1973 and 1980, has been reviewed. The tumor was located 26 times in the tongue, 4 times within the base of the tongue, 27 times in the floor of the mouth, 10 times in the floor of the mouth and in the tongue and 80 times in the tonsils. For reconstruction 8 times the deltopectoral flap, 51 times the forehead flap, 42 times the tongue flap, 7 times the myocutaneous sternocleido-mastoideus island flap were used. 8 times other methods were applied, like for instance skin grafts, and in 41 cases a primary closure of the defect was possible. Complete necrosis of the flap were rare, more frequent in contrast were partial dehiscences with or without a fistula. Thus in the forehead flap 5 times a necrosis occurred whereas in 15 cases a dehiscence was seen. Even better results were achieved for the deltopectoral- and tongue flap. In contrast, the skin island of the myocutaneous sternocleidomastoideus flaps all became necrotic, but only once a temporary fistula developed. Of the pectoralis myocutaneous island flaps the first two became necrotic, probably due to lack of surgical experience. Taking into account the surgical expenditure, the functional as well as cosmetical results, the methods may be scaled according to clinical value as follows: The pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap and the tongue flap equally range on the first place, followed by the myocutaneous sternocleidomastoideus island flap, and on the 3. and 4. place by the deltopectoral and forehead flap.