Reconstruction of Thin and Pliable Oral Mucosa After Wide Excision of Oral Cancer Using a Trimmed Anterolateral Thigh Free Flap as an Adipofascial Flap

Abstract

A 21-year-old female patient underwent wide excision of the buccal mucosa and tongue as well as selective neck dissection due to squamous cell carcinoma on the left side of the tongue. She had a severe limitation in opening her mouth, owing to fibrosis of the mucosa and scar contracture after adjuvant radiation therapy. Reconstruction of the oral mucosa and tongue defect was performed after removal of the scar to improve mouth opening. An anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap was used, trimmed to an adipofascial flap for the reconstruction of the thin and pliable oral mucosa and tongue. The maximum mouth opening improved to 40 mm intraoperatively and was 30 mm after surgery. The adipofascial ALT flap had excellent viability and presented neomucosa after secondary healing. An adipofascial flap obtained by trimming an ALT flap could be a reliable option for the reconstruction of thin and pliable oral mucosa after wide excision of oral cancer.