Single Free Flap for Large Defects in Head and Neck Reconstruction, Double Paddle Anterolateral Thigh Flap

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of double skin paddle anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) to reconstruction of through and through oral cavity defect due to cancer surgery. A prospective review was performed of patients referred to Firoozgar and Erfan hospitals with oral cavity defects with two or more oral cavity subunits and skin simultaneously involvement and immediate reconstruction using double-skin paddle ALT flap at the same time of tumor ablation from January 2019 to November 2020. A total number of 6 patients was evaluated. The mean area of skin paddle was 110.4 cm2 and 92.8 cm2 in distal and proximal paddle respectively. Except one patient was complicated and expired in hospital admission, the remaining 5 patients got fully oral intake and completely survived flaps with primarily closed donor site. Tumor recurrence was not found in the mean follow-up time of 12 months. The double skin paddle anterolateral thigh flap serves as an efficient reconstruction technique in complex and perforating oral cavity defects with the same functional outcome and the same flap related complications as conventional ALT flap.