Lateral Arm Free Flap for Reconstruction of the Oral Cavity and Head and Neck Soft Tissue Defects.

The excision of oral cancers causes extensive impairment of the oral cavity soft tissue. Complete excision of the tumors is vital, and the reconstruction of the resected area influences not only the postoperative recovery period of patients but also physiological functions such as swallowing, phonation function ,daily activities and psychosocial impact. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are faced with the task of reconstructing the affected area to reduce these problems as much as possible. In 1982, Song introduced the lateral arm flap (LAF). Since this time, its used in surgical repairs of oral defects, But the specific subject of publications generally restricted to a small number of cases. LAF is a thin and pliable flap with consistent anatomy and a high success rate. It is also claimed that there is no risk of vascular compromise to the arm

reconstruction of defects in head and neck post surgical excision by lateral arm free flap and early detection of recurrence by CT neck.

Inclusion Criteria: All patients post glossectomy. Patients post maxillectomy with malignant maxillary swelling with no distant metastases. All patients which defect after surgery for head and neck neoplasia. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Small defect post excision can be closed directly 2. medically unfit patients

Nahabedian MY, Deune EG, Manson PN. Utility of the lateral arm flap in head and neck reconstruction. Ann Plast Surg. 2001 May;46(5):501-5. doi: 10.1097/00000637-200105000-00008.