• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.190-197
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• 2016

Background: The cheek rotation flap has sufficient blood flow and large flap size and it is also flexible and easy to manipulate. It has been used for reconstruction of defects on cheek, lower eyelid, or medial and lateral canthus. For the large defects on central nose, paramedian forehead flap has been used, but patients were reluctant despite the remaining same skin tone on damaged area because of remaining scars on forehead. However, the cheek flap is cosmetically superior as it uses the adjacent large flap. Thus, the study aims to demonstrate its versatility with clinical practices. Methods: This is retrospective case study on 38 patients who removed facial masses and reconstructed by the cheek rotation flap from 2008 to 2015. It consists of defects on cheek (16), lower eyelid (12), nose (3), medial canthus (3), lateral canthus (2), and preauricle (2). Buccal mucosa was used for the reconstruction of eyelid conjunctiva, and skin graft was processed for nasal mucosa reconstruction. Results: The average defect size was $6.4cm^2$, and the average flap size was $47.3cm^2$. Every flap recovered without complications such as abnormal slant, entropion or ectropion in lower eyelid, but revision surgery required in three cases of nasal side wall reconstruction due to the occurrence of dog ear on nasolabial sulcus. Conclusion: The cheek rotation flap can be applicable instead of paramedian forehead flap for the large nasal sidewall defect reconstruction as well as former medial and lateral canthal defect reconstruction.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.365-371
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• 2009

Purpose: Good color match holds a key position in facial reconstruction for good aesthetic result. To correct the wide facial soft tissue defect were usually used the tissue expanded cheek flap, deltopectoral flap or radial forearm free flap. This study is aimed to analyse the color difference after flap surgery by using chromameter. Method: From August 1995 to December 2006, 30 patients underwent flap operations were chosen randomly and evaluated color differences between flap site and adjacent skin. Reconstructive procedures included tissue expanded cheek flap(n = 10), deltopectoral flap(n = 10), and radial forearm free flap(n = 10). The measured sites were flap center within a radius of 1 ㎝ and four points of adjacent skin along the flap margin. The color was quantified in a three dimensional coordinate system $L^*$ (brightness), $a^*$ (redness), $b^*$ (yellowness). Results: There was no significant color difference between the pedicled flaps(tissue expanded cheek flap and deltopectoral flap) and adjacent skin area. On the other hand, color values of the radial forearm free flap were statistically different from those of adjacent skin area. Total color difference(${\Delta}E$) of tissue expanded cheek flap and deltopectoral flap were $7.45{\pm}5.78$ versus $9.41{\pm}7.09$, and that of radial forearm free flap was $11.74{\pm}3.85$. They suggest that pedicled flaps have a potential of better color match than radial forearm free flap. Conclusion: Thus, better esthetic result and satisfaction is more likely to be expected in pedicled flaps as long as it could be applied comparing radial forearm free flap.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-43
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• 2009

Purpose: Extensive midface defect following total maxillectomy with orbital exenteration and cheek skin resection should be three dimensionally reconstructed with a large flap that have a sufficient volume of tissue and multiple skin islands. We describe our transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous(TRAM) free flap with three skin islands which was successfully used in this situation. Methods: A 58-year-old man was performed enbloc total maxillectomy including orbital contents and wide cheek skin because of invasive maxillary squamous cell carcinoma. He was immediately reconstructed with TRAM flap that was designed not vertical but transverse fashion for providing sufficient skin area. Also, deepithelialization procedure making for multiple skin islands was done in flap insetting period when appropriate modification according to the intraoperative situation was possible. Dead space was completely obliterated by bulky muscular tissue, and three skin islands were used for lining of lateral nasal wall, palatal surface, and cheek skin restoration. Results: Postoperative course was satisfying. Maintaining of proper ipsilateral nasal airway, loss of rhinolalia and oronasal regurgitation of food particles, and restoration of cheek contour were successfully obtained. Conclusion: We report clinical experience of threedimensional reconstruction using free TRAM flap after total maxillectomy with orbital exenteration.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.203-206
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• 2019

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and highly aggressive neuroectodermal carcinoma arising from mechanoreceptor Merkel cells. Multiple MCCs are even rarer. We report a case of two independent MCCs simultaneously present in the cheek of a patient, which were effectively and esthetically treated using a cheek flap. Punch biopsy performed in a 60-year-old woman admitted with a chief complaint of two skin-colored hard nodules in her left cheek, accompanied by an itching sensation, was suggestive of MCC. Accordingly, we performed sentinel lymph node biopsy through the modified Blair incision under general anesthesia, in cooperation with the head and neck surgery department. The defect was covered with a cheek flap by slightly extending the existing incision following wide excision with a safety margin of 1 cm. This paper is significant in that it introduces an effective reconstruction technique that maintains function using a cheek flap for the management of this rare case. In addition, this paper is the first to classify multiple MCCs according to the time of onset. We believe that this paper presents an effective alternative reconstruction technique with sentinel node biopsy through the modified Blair incision.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.186-190
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• 2017

A surgical approach involving the retromolar trigone, posterolateral maxilla, and pterygoid region is the most challenging in the field of maxillofacial surgery. The upper cheek flap (Weber-Ferguson incision) with subciliary extension and the maxillary swing approach have been considered as alternatives; however, neither approach provides sufficient exposure of the pterygoid region and the anterior portion of the mandibular ramus. In this report, we describe two cases in which a lower cheek flap approach was used for complete tumor resection in the retromolar trigone and the anterior mandibular ramus. This approach allows full exposure of the posterolateral maxilla and the pterygoid region as well as the retromolar trigone without causing major sensory disturbances to the lower lip. A mental nerve anastomosis after tumor resection was performed in one patient and resulted in approximately 90% sensory recovery in the lower lip. The lower cheek flap approach provides adequate exposure of the posterolateral maxilla, including the pterygoid, retromolar trigone, and mandibular ramus areas. If the mental nerve can be anastomosed during flap approximation, postoperative sensory disturbances to the lower lip can be minimized.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.248-253
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• 2001

Main disadvantages of conventional pectorails major myocutaneous flap is bulkness of muscular pedicle. It makes difficult to use this flap in a case of supraomohyoid neck dissection. Pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap is a modification to overcome this shortcoming. And bilobular design of skin portion of this flap could be used for reconstruction of a through and through defect. We report a case of reconstruction of full-thickness defect of cheek with bilobular pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap and compare it with conventional pectoralis myocutaneous flap.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.213-216
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• 2021

Many surgeons have demonstrated the validity of sternocleidomastoid muscle flaps for the reconstruction of head and neck tumors. We present a case in which we used an island sternocleidomastoid muscle flap to reconstruct a cheek depression after excision of a malignant parotid tumor. A 44-year-old woman presented with a right malignant parotid tumor. We performed total resection of the parotid gland and facial nerve with the sural nerve and reconstructed the facial nerve and cheek depression with an island sternocleidomastoid muscle flap. The sternal head of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle was cut at the cranial and caudal segments to elevate it as an island flap. We used the superior thyroid artery as the sole pedicle for the island muscle flap. At 1 year and 3 months after the operation, the mimic muscles had gradually recovered and progressed without complications such as Frey syndrome, cervical motor dysfunction, or concave deformation of the neck and cheeks.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 1988

Skin replacement in large cheek defects after excision of benign or malignant tumor on the face is a challenging task. The physical characteristics of cheek skin are matched best by adjacent skin. Various methods of reconstructing of the facial surface such as forehead flap, distant flap, or a full thickness or split thickness skin graft have replaced adjacent tissue for coverage in many cases. We have reviewed ten cases of aesthetic reconstruction of the face after resection of the facial skin tumor within the last 5 years. The first group of 3 patients were reconstructed with split thickness skin graft from the scalp or lower abdomen. The second group of patients were reconstructed with cheek flap. The third group of 3 patients were reconstructed with cervicofacial flap. The last 2 patients were reconstructed with nasolabial flap & island falp respectively. The advantages from our experience with various method of coverage are its hidden donor area & good color match with the facial skin & increased success rate.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.40
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• pp.11.1-11.5
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• 2018

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most commonly occurring malignant tumor in the oral cavity. In South Korea, it occurs most frequently in the mandible, tongue, maxilla, buccal mucosa, other areas of the oral cavity, and lips. Radial forearm free flap (RFFF) is the most widely used reconstruction method for the buccal mucosal defect. The scar of the forearm donor, however, is highly visible and unsightly, and a secondary surgical site is needed when such technique is applied. For these reasons, buccal fat pad (BFP) flap has been commonly used for closing post-surgical excision sites since the recent decades because of its reliability, ease of harvest, and low complication rate. Case presentation: In the case reported herein, BFP flap was used to reconstruct a cheek mucosal defect after excision. The defect was completely covered by the BFP flap, without any complications. Conclusion: Discussed herein is the usefulness of BFP flap for the repair of the cheek mucosal defect. Also, further studies are needed to determine the possibility of using BFP flap when the defect is deep, and the maximum volume that can be harvested considering the changes in volume with age.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.139-142
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• 2012

Purpose: To reconstruct the midface, local flaps such as nasolabial flaps have been frequently used. These local flaps, however, have the shortcomings of requiring a secondary operation or limitations in the movement of the flap. Thus, new methods have been developed. This paper reports a case wherein the basal cell carcinoma on the cheek was resected and the skin and soft tissue defect was successfully treated using a facial artery perforator flap. Methods: A 68-year-old female consulted the authors on the basal cell carcinoma that developed on her cheek. The mass was fully resected and revealed a $2.3{\times}2.3cm$ defective region. Using a Doppler ultrasonography, the facial artery path was traced, and using a loupe magnification, the facial artery perforator flap was elevated and the defective region was covered with the flap. Results: The flap developed early venous congestion, but it disappeared without any treatment. Six months after the surgery, the patient was satisfied with the postoperative result. Conclusion: The facial artery perforator flap has a thin pedicle. It offers a big arc of the rotation that allows free movement and one-stage operation. These strengths make the method useful for the reconstruction of the midface among other procedures.