Single-Stage Peninsula-Shaped Lateral Tongue Flap Reconstruction for Buccal Defects in Two Patients: Revisiting a Simple and Safe Reconstructive Option

Abstract

Intraoral defects are increasingly reconstructed using free flaps. However, certain situations may render free flap reconstruction difficult. This study presents two cases with underlying comorbidities that underwent reconstruction of buccal defects involving the retromolar trigone (RMT), using a single-stage peninsula-shaped lateral tongue flap (pLTF). A 58-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man were diagnosed with left buccal squamous cell carcinoma and right buccal adenoid cystic carcinoma, respectively. The buccal defects extending to the RMT area were detected and covered with an ipsilateral posteriorly based pLTF after wide excision of the lesion. All flaps survived without any postoperative complications. Moreover, no tumor recurrences or functional problems were observed during the final follow-up. A single-stage pLTF is believed to represent a good alternative to free flaps in buccal and RMT defects.

Single-Stage Peninsular-Shaped Lateral Tongue Flap for Personalized Reconstruction of Various Small- to Moderate-Sized Intraoral Defects: A Retrospective Case Series with Tongue Function Evaluation Using the Functional Intraoral Glasgow Scale

“…Intraoral defects resulting from oncological tumor resection are a frequent challenge encountered in plastic surgery [1][2][3][4][5]. The selection of an appropriate reconstructive method for each intraoral defect is based on several critical factors, including its size, characteristics, the structures exposed, and the clinical condition of the patient [1,2].…”

“…Intraoral defects resulting from oncological tumor resection are a frequent challenge encountered in plastic surgery [1][2][3][4][5]. The selection of an appropriate reconstructive method for each intraoral defect is based on several critical factors, including its size, characteristics, the structures exposed, and the clinical condition of the patient [1,2]. Reconstructive surgeons are responsible for meticulously evaluating these variables to determine the optimal approach for restoring the affected area's form and function [2,3].…”

“…The selection of an appropriate reconstructive method for each intraoral defect is based on several critical factors, including its size, characteristics, the structures exposed, and the clinical condition of the patient [1,2]. Reconstructive surgeons are responsible for meticulously evaluating these variables to determine the optimal approach for restoring the affected area's form and function [2,3]. In contemporary microsurgery advancements, free flap reconstruction is the principal modality for covering intraoral defects [2,3,6,7].…”

“…Reconstructive surgeons are responsible for meticulously evaluating these variables to determine the optimal approach for restoring the affected area's form and function [2,3]. In contemporary microsurgery advancements, free flap reconstruction is the principal modality for covering intraoral defects [2,3,6,7]. Free flaps in intraoral reconstruction yield superior functional and aesthetic outcomes by providing a robust supply of healthy tissue to address the defect comprehensively [2,3,[6][7][8][9].…”

“…In contemporary microsurgery advancements, free flap reconstruction is the principal modality for covering intraoral defects [2,3,6,7]. Free flaps in intraoral reconstruction yield superior functional and aesthetic outcomes by providing a robust supply of healthy tissue to address the defect comprehensively [2,3,[6][7][8][9]. However, the successful implementation of free flap surgery requires several essential components, such as a proficient microsurgeon, specialized microsurgical instruments, and an adequately staffed postoperative care system [2,10].…”