Myocutaneous and myo-osseous flaps for oral and maxillofacial reconstruction

Abstract

have loss of hard and soft tissue and those with loss of hard tissue only. Defects with loss of hard tissue only are less difficult to treat and are frequently treated by placement of free autogenous bone grafts, in many cases with subsequent or simultaneous implant placement. For the hemimaxillectomy defect in which there is loss of both hard and soft tissue, 3 general approaches can be used. The first is use of the traditional prosthetic obturator. A second is use of a pedicled flap such as the temporalis muscle flap, which separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity and maxillary sinus region. A third would be use of free vascularized tissue transfer of soft tissue or soft tissue and bone. Although the obturator approach may be difficult for younger patients to accept, it has the advantage of avoiding another donor site and may give the most stable and predictable results long term.