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Sensory recovery of non‐innervated free flaps and nasolabial island flaps used for tongue reconstruction of oncological defects
Author(s) -
Zhu L.,
Zhang J.,
Song X.,
Hou W.,
Wu S.,
Chen W.,
Svensson P.,
Wang K.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1111/joor.12510
Subject(s) - tongue , medicine , sensory system , quality of life (healthcare) , stimulus modality , nasolabial fold , detection threshold , forearm , surgery , pathology , psychology , nursing , real time computing , computer science , cognitive psychology
Summary The aims of this study were to assess sensory recovery and impact on life quality after tongue reconstruction of oncological defects using different flap types. Thirty‐two patients who underwent tongue reconstruction for oncological defects 9·3 months after surgery with non‐innervated radial forearm free flaps ( RFFF s) ( N = 16), non‐innervated anterolateral thigh free flaps ( ALTFF s) ( N = 8) and nasolabial island flaps ( NLIF s) ( N = 8), and 20 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls participated in the study. The modalities assessed were cold detection threshold, warm detection threshold ( WDT ), cold pain threshold, heat pain threshold ( HPT ), mechanical detection threshold ( MDT ), mechanical pain threshold ( MPT ) and the Chinese version of Oral Health Impact Profile‐49. ALTFF s was significantly more sensitive than RFFF s ( P = 0·005) and NLIF s ( P = 0·014) for WDT , and showed a better sensory recovery than RFFF s for HPT ( P = 0·011). ALTFF s and NLIF s showed significantly better sensory recovery than RFFF s for MDT ( P < 0·005). NLIF s showed the best sensory recovery for MPT , followed by ALTFF s and lastly RFFF s ( P = 0·004). NLIF s also showed the least impact on quality of life measures related to psychological discomfort compared to RFFF s and ALTFF s ( P < 0·019). All modalities of sensory recovery in RFFF s did not depend on gender and post‐operative radiotherapy ( P > 0·05). Different flaps for tongue reconstruction of oncological defects appear to have different patterns of sensory recovery and impact on quality of life measures. A longer follow‐up period and larger number of participants will be needed in future studies.