• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 1998

Microvascular surgery has been widely used clinically for over 30 years. Although many types of free skin and myocutaneous flap are being used at present, surgeons are still looking for new flaps to suit the specific requirements of different recipient sites, to reduce the deformity at the donor site, to ease the management of the flap and to increase the success rate of those operations. The lateral thigh free flap was designed and reported simultaneously with the medial thigh free flap by Baek in 1983. The flap, based on the third perforator of the profunda femoris artery. is designed on the posterolateral aspect of the distal thigh. Clinically, the vascular variations and the locations of perforators of this system can be determined preoperatively with simple angiograms and Dopper audiometry. The lateral thigh free flap is suitable for reconstruction of defects in an oral floor with tongue and esophageal deficits, scalp defects with dural defects, and large full thickness defects of the lip. The advantages of this flap are safe elevation, a long vascular pedicles with a large lumen, skin that is generally thin, and good pliability. Furthermore, the skin territory is very wide and long. The donor site is hidden and therefore more acceptable to the patient. The disadvantage of this flap is that the anatomy of the pedicle vessels has irregular derivation from the main vessel. We had reconstructed lateral thigh free flap to the nine patients from January, 1997 to July, 1998 and got satisfactory results. In this paper we illustrate the arterial anatomy of the thigh and usefulness of this flap for the reconstruction of the head and neck.

• Proceedings of The Korean Cleft Lip And Palate Association
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.55-55
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• 1997

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.65-67
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• 2013

Osteomyelitis is an infection of bone or bone marrow, caused by pyogenic bacteria or mycobacterium. Osteomyelitis can be acute or chronic, inflammatory process of the bone and its structures. Chronic osteomyelitis will result in variable sclerosis and deformity of the affected bone. With an infection of the bone, the subsequent inflammatory response will elevate this overlying periosteum, leading to a loss of the nourishing vasculature, vascular thrombosis, and bone necrosis, resulting occasionally in formation of sequestra. These become areas that are more resistant to systemic antibiotic therapy due to lack of the normal Havesian canals that are blocked by scar tissue. At this aspect, not only systemic antibiotic therapy, but also surgical debridement maybe required to remove the affected bone and prevent disease propagation to adjacent areas. We experienced a patient who diagnosed tongue cancer and underwent wide partial glossectomy few years before, with an ulcerative lesion around right retromolar trigon. We diagnosed cancer recurrence because PET indicated hot uptake on mandible which was nearby previous tongue tumor site. The patient received hemiglossectomy via paramedian mandibulotomy, partial mandibulectomy and fibula osteocutaneous free flap reconstruction. But final diagnosis was mandible osteomyelitis on pathology report. Here, we present the case with a review of the related literatures.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 1994

Large oral defects following tumor resection pose formidable challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. Ideally, wound closure should utilize like tissue in providing expedient, single-stage closure, returning maximum function while minimizing deformity. Recent methods have reported and utilize variable mucocutaneous flaps. However, the ideal reconstruction has yet to defined. The small bowel serves as a readily available donor site for satisfying reconstructive needs in oropharyngeoesophageal defects. Segments of jejunum may be opened along the antimesenteric border and transferred to oral defect as free tissue transfers. Some of the benefits of this technique have included a one-stage procedure, abundant donor tissue with characteristics similar to oral mucosa, near normal facial appearance, preservation of maximum tongue function and relief of annoying xerostomia by jejunal mucous secretion. Three cases re presented in which two cases show successful use of this flap. The other one patient developed total necrosis of this flap. We report cases of reconstruction using free jejunal flap transfer in oral reconstruction.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.324-331
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• 2010

The radial forearm free flap (RFFF) has become a workhorse flap as a means of reconstructing surgical defects in the head and neck region. We have transferred 12 RFFFs with fasciocutaneous type on oral cavity defects in 12 patients after cancer resection and submucous fibrotic lesion ablation from 2005 to 2007 at Department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Pusan National University Hospital. We reviewed retrospectively patients' charts and followed up the patients. Clinical analysis on the cases with RFFFs focusing on flap morbidity, indications and available vessels was done. The results of study are follows: 1. RFFF could be applied for all kind of defects after resection of tongue, floor of mouth, buccal mucosa, denuded bone of palate, maxilla, and mandible. 2. All free flaps could be used for primary reconstruction. The survival rate of 12 RFFFs was 92%. Partial marginal loss of the flaps was shown as 3 cases among 12 cases. Large size-vessels like superior thyroid artery, facial artery, internal jugular vein were favorable for microvascular anastomosis. 3. Parenteral nutrition instead of nasal L-tube also can be favorable for postoperative a week for better healing of the flap if the patients couldn't be tolerable with nasal tubing. 4. Donor sites with thigh skin graft were repaired with wrist band for 2 weeks. The complications included scarring, abnormal sensation on hand, and reduced grip strength in few patients, but those didn't induce major side effects. 5. Most RFFFs were well healed even if mortality rate of cancer patients was shown as 50% (5/10 persons). The mortality of patients was not correlated with morbidity of the flaps. We could identify the usefulness of RFFF for restoration of oral function, esthetics if the flap design, tissue transfer indications, and well controlled operation are proceeded.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.270-275
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• 2011

Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) is known as an anomaly consisting of respiratory obstruction with glossoptosis, micrognathia and cleft palate in a newborn. The etiology of PRS is not known, but several factors may be involved simultaneously. Mortality rate of PRS is about 5~30% and the treatment method is divided into both conventional treatments and surgical interventions. If the respiratory obstruction is not resolved by the conventional method, surgical treatment, such as subperiosteal release of the floor of the mouth, tongue-lip adhesion, tracheostomy, distraction osteogenesis may be needed. This study reports a case of PRS in a newborn male at 20 days, with dyspnea and feeding difficulties. Clinical examination showed micrognathia with glossoptosis and cleft palate as the typical PRS triad. We tried surgical intervention with subperiosteal release of the floor of the mouth and tongue-lip adhesion and surgery was successful. At $19^{th}$ months, we also repaired the incomplete cleft palate successfully using 2-Flap palatoplasty.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 1998

Various local flaps and distant flaps including tongue flap, palatal island flap, and buccal flap as well as skin grafts have been used for the reconstruction of oral mucosal defect. In the posterior region of oral cavity and the buccal cheek area, buccal fat pad can be used as a pedicled graft. The buccal fat pad is different from other subcutaneous fat tissue and it is easily accessible. There are many advantages in pedicled buccal fat pad graft for the closure of oral mucosal defect. The procedure is easy, there is no visible scar in the donor site, it is capable of reconstruction of various contour, and it has good viability. We had used buccal fat pad as a pedicled graft for the closure of oral mucosal defect after the excision of tumor and the oroantral fistula. From the results of these cases, we concluded that the use of the buccal fat pad flaps was worth of the consideration for the reconstruction of oral mucosal defect in the regions of the buccal cheek, and posterior oral cavity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.152-158
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• 2008

Purpose: Mandibulotomy approach and mandible sparing approach are most common methods for oropharyngeal cancer surgery. Good surgical view and convenience of flap inset are advantages of mandibulotomy approach but deformity of mandible contour, postoperative malocclusion and radionecrosis are its limitations. To make up for the limitations, mandible sparing method is commonly performed, but limited surgical view and difficulties of flap inset are the weak points of this approach. The purpose of the study is to compare mandibulotomy and mandible sparing approaches in postoperative complications and progression of the treatment in oropharyngeal cancer operation and reconstruction. Methods: Single reconstructive microsurgeon operated for oropharyngeal cancer patients with different surgeons of head and neck department who prefer mandibulotomy and mandible sparing approach respectively, and we compared the frequency of postoperative complication, operation time, duration of hospitalization and recurrence rate between two different surgical approaches. Results: Mandibulotomy approach was used in 18 patients and mandible sparing approach was used in 15 patients. In mandibulotomy approach, there happened one case of teeth injury and one case of necrosis of skin and gingiva, but there happened no malocclusion and radionecrosis. In mandible sparing approach, there were 3 cases of fistula and 2 cases of infection which are significantly higher than mandibulotomy approach. There were no significant differences between early regional recurrence and duration of hospitalization. Conclusion: In this study we compared two different methods for the surgical approach in oropharyngeal cancer surgery. As mandible sparing approach has difficulties of limited surgical view, it can be used for the limited indications of anterior tongue and mouth floor cancer. Mandibulotomy approach has advantages of good surgical view and convenience of flap inset. In this method preservation of gingival tissue, watertight fashion suture, delicate osteotomy and plate fixation to maintain occlusion are the key points for the successful results.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.449-454
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• 2019

Background Most patients with head and neck cancer successfully undergo oncologic resection followed by free or local flap reconstruction, depending on the tumor's size and location. Despite effective curative resection and reconstruction, head and neck cancer patients still face a high risk of recurrence and the possibility of a second primary cancer. Moreover, surgeons hesitate to perform sequential reconstruction following curative resection for several reasons. Few large-scale studies on this subject are available. Therefore, we retrospectively evaluated the outcome of sequential head and neck reconstruction to determine the possible risks. Methods In total, 467 patients underwent head and neck reconstruction following cancer resection at our center from 2008 to 2017. Of these cases, we retrospectively reviewed the demographic and clinical features of 58 who had sequential head and neck reconstruction following resection of recurrent cancer. Results Our study included 43 males (74.1%) and 15 females (25.9%). The mean age at the initial operation was $55.4{\pm}15.3years$, while the mean age at the most recent operation was $59.0{\pm}14.3years$. The interval between the first and second operations was $49.2{\pm}62.4months$. Twelve patients (20.7%) underwent surgery on the tongue, and 12 (20.7%) had procedures on the oropharynx. Thirty-four patients (58.6%) received a sequential free flap reconstruction, and 24 patients (41.4%) were treated using locoregional flaps. No cases of flap failure occurred. Conclusions Our findings suggest that patients who need additional operations with recurrent head and neck cancer could optimally benefit from sequential curative resections and reconstructions.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2006

Radial forearm free flap (RFFF) has been established itself as a versatile and widely used method for reconstruction of the head and neck, although it is still criticized for high mortality of donor site. Delayed wound healing, cosmetic deformity, vascular compromise and potentially reduced wrist function have many plastic surgeons hesitate to adapt it as a first choice in micro-reconstruction. To overcome these drawbacks, some techniques for donor-site repair such as V-Y advancement with full thickness skin graft (FTSG), application of artificial dermis ($Terudermis^{(R)}$) or acellular dermal matrix ($AlloDerm^{(R)}$), and double-opposing rhomboid transposition flap have been reported. Authors performed 4 cases of RFFF in old-aged patients of the head and neck cancer from April 2005 to February 2006. We compared the outcomes of donor site of RFFF which were resurfaced with split thickness skin graft (STSG) only and STSG overlying an $AlloDerm^{(R)}$. Patients were all males ranging from 59 to 74 years old (mean, 67.5). Three of them had tongue cancers, and the other showed hypopharyngeal cancer. All cases were pathologically confirmed as squamous cell carcinomas. We included the deep fascia into the flap, so called subfascially elevated RFFF in three cases, and in the other one, we dissected the RFFF suprafascially leaving the fascia intact. The donor site of the suprafascially elevated RFFF was resurfaced with STSG only. Among three of subfascially elevated RFFFs, donor-sites were covered with thin STSG only in one case, and STSG overlying $AlloDerm^{(R)}$ in two cases. All RFFFs were survived completely without any complication. The donor site of the suprafascially elevated RFFF was taken well with STSG only. But, the partial graft loss exposing brachioradialis and flexor carpi radialis muscle was unavoidable in all the subfascially elevated RFFFs irregardless of $AlloDerm^{(R)}$ application. Considering that many patients of the head and neck cancer are in old ages, we believe the RFFF is still a useful and versatile choice for resurfacing the head and neck region after cancer ablation. Its reliability and functional characteristics could override its criticism for donor site in old-aged cancer patients.