Oncologic safety of facial artery myomucosal flaps in oral cavity reconstruction

Abstract

Background: Buccinator myomucosal flaps are routinely used for oral cavity reconstruction and are indicated mainly in patients classified as having stage N0 cancer. This purpose of this study was to investigate whether preservation of the vascular pedicle of the flap (facial artery and vein) during stadiative neck dissection alters the oncologic safety in these patients.

Methods: Fifty patients underwent resection of T1 to 3, N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue or floor of the mouth, stadiative neck dissection, and reconstruction with a facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap were retrospectively analyzed concerning rate of occult neck metastasis and recurrences.

Results: Occult metastasis was detected in 10 patients. Mean follow-up was 41 months. The overall survival rate was 88%, and the disease-specific survival rate was 92%.

Conclusion: Neck dissection with preservation of the facial artery and vein does not alter the rate of regional recurrences, confirming the oncologic safety of myomucosal flaps in oral cavity reconstruction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1200-E1202, 2016.

Keywords: buccinator flap; facial artery flap; neck dissection; oncologic safety.