Pattern assembly--an aid to flap design during oral microsurgical reconstruction

Area of Science:

• Oral surgery
• Reconstructive surgery
• Surgical oncology

Background:

• Oral cavity tumor ablation creates complex 3D defects.
• Reconstructive surgery for these defects presents significant challenges.
• Existing literature offers limited guidance on defect visualization and 3D reconstruction with 2D flaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a systematic approach for visualizing 3D oral cavity defects.
• To offer a template for flap design and inset in oral reconstruction.
• To simplify complex anatomical reconstruction through geometric principles.

Main Methods:

• Simplifying the oral cavity's complex anatomy into geometric forms.
• Deriving simple shapes from geometric forms to create a defect pattern.
• Using the pattern as a template for flap design and inset.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a method for appreciating defects in three dimensions.
• Provided a template for flap design and inset based on defect geometry.
• Showcased how geometric simplification aids in reconstructing complex oral defects.

Conclusions:

• Understanding defect 3D geometry and oral function is key for flap design.
• Geometric simplification offers a practical approach to oral reconstructive surgery.
• This method aids surgeons in reconstructing challenging oral cavity defects.