Application of the submental island flap in the reconstruction of intraoral defects

This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of clinically applying facial submental island flap in reconstruction of oral cancer ablation in residents of Xinjiang, China. A total of 21 patients with oral cavity cancer underwent surgical resection during 4.4 years. Immediate reconstruction with submental island flap was performed and reviewed. The site, stage, pattern of neck dissection, postoperative complication, and the technique of flap transfer were recorded. The patients were followed up to assess the status of the flap, its function, and the oncologic outcomes. Eventually in this study, all patients had undergone neck dissection and wide excision of the primary lesion. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 52 months. Of 21 patients, 2 patients had complete flap loss. The overall survival rate in our study is found to be 90.4%. The submental island flap is an excellent alternative for reconstruction of intraoral cancer defect because of its function, reliability, versatility, and relative ease of application. However, further study depends upon the long-term follow-up of the patients and oncologically sound neck dissection.