Free radial forearm flap for reconstruction of head and neck soft tissue defects after tumor resection

Abstract

To explore the clinical effect of the free radial forearm flap on repairing tissue defects and reconstructing functions after tumor resection. From January, 2003 to December, 2011, 70 patients, including 43 squamous cell carcinomas of tongue, 12 buccal cancers, 5 carcinomas of the soft palate, 4 basal cell carcinomas of external nose, 3 lower lip cancers, 2 upper lip cancers, and 1 posterior wall of hypopharynx carcinoma, with the soft tissue defects in the head and neck underwent reconstructive operations with the free radial forearm flap after the malignant tumor resection. The area of defects ranged from 5 cm × 4 cm to 14 cm × 8 cm with the process of diseases from 4 to 30 months. The technique for grafting the free radial forearm flap and the appearance at sites of the donor and recipient, and the influence on the anatomy and function in both local sites were analyzed. In the 70 patients, only 1 case of flap appeared necrosis due to venous reflux obstacle, and the remaining (98.4 ﹪) survived. During the follow-up for 12-36 months, one case of hypopharyngeal carcinoma died from distant metastasis a year later, 2 cases of tongue cancer died of cardiovascular accident. Morphology and function for the sites at donor and recipient were satisfactory. Free radical forearm flap is a good choice for the repair and functional reconstruction for tissue defects after tumor resection.