Medial Sural Artery Perforator Flap for Intraoral Reconstruction Following Cancer Ablation

In oral cavity reconstruction, the fasciocutaneous flaps of the distal extremities have always been preferred to any other kind of flap because of their thinness and pliability, which makes them adaptable to different areas in the oral cavity. The radial forearm flap is frequently considered the first choice for intraoral reconstruction, but the disadvantages of donor site morbidity include sacrificing a major artery to the hand and leaving a conspicuous donor site scar. The search for another primarily thinned skin flap as an alternative has led to the application of the medial sural artery perforator flap, which is harvested from the medial aspect of the upper calf. Between June 2003 and March 2007, 22 free medial sural artery perforator flaps were transferred for intraoral defects after cancer ablation, including tongue and floor of mouth (15 cases), buccal mucosa (5 cases), retromolar trigone (1 case), and anterior floor of mouth (1 case). We paid attention to the major perforator (vein > or =1 mm), which was confirmed by the endoscope, as the vascular relay for the skin flap. The size of the skin paddle varied from 7.5 x 4 cm to 17 x 8 cm. The main advantage of this flap is that it provides thin and pliable coverage to achieve better accuracy in the oral cavity. Other advantages of minimizing donor site morbidity include maintaining the function of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, avoiding the need to sacrifice major arteries of the leg, and possible primary closure of the donor defect.