Volume 14, Number 4, December 2002
| | Reconstruction of the Floor of the Mouth Using Free Jejunal Grafts |
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Wataru Kobayashi,1 Makoto Kobayashi,2 Waka Hirota,1 Kuniko Kado,1 Roh Fukui,1 Hisashi Sato,1 Hiroto Kimura1
1Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
2Surgical Division, Kondou Hospital, Aomori, Japan
Abstract
Objective: To describe the postoperative function, benefits, and complications associated with free jejunal transfer for reconstruction of the floor of the mouth.
Patients and Methods: Free jejunal grafts were used for reconstruction of the floor of the mouth in 6 patients after radical resection for cancer.
Results: The mean score for the Japanese speech intelligibility test was 60.8% and all patients were able to swallow without difficulty. By fixing the mesenteric side of the jejunum to the mandible, it was possible to restore a lingual sulcus, which facilitated denture wearing. The severity of post-radiation xerostomia after surgery was evaluated by visual analogue scale. Xerostomia was significantly relieved for patients undergoing jejunal graft compared with other flaps.
Conclusion: The benefits of this flap outweigh the disadvantages, and free jejunal transfer is well suited for reconstruction of the floor of the mouth.
Key words: Jejunum, Mouth floor, Neoplasms, Reconstructive surgical procedures
Asian J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2002;14:190-196.
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