Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40070747›Full record

ArticleIndian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India2025

The Chimeric Antero-Lateral Thigh Flap and Vastus Lateralis Muscle Flap for the Infratemporal Fossa Reconstruction in Oral Cancer Defects.

Radhika Kapahtia, Karthik N Rao, Sreeram M P, Narayana Subramanium, B S Srinath

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Radhika KapahtiaDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, India.
Karthik N RaoDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, India.ORCID 0000-0002-1420-7366
Sreeram M PDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, India.
Narayana SubramaniumDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Sparsh Hospitals, Bangalore, India.
B S SrinathDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Sri Shanakara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bangalore, India.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the chimeric Free Anterolateral Thigh (FALT) and vastus lateralis muscle (VLM) flap for reconstructing extensive defects in advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), particularly those involving the infratemporal fossa (ITF) and masticator space. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital, Bangalore, from January 2023 to June 2024. It included 22 patients with T4a and T4b OSCC who underwent curative ablative surgery, ITF clearance, and reconstruction using the chimeric FALT-VLM flap. The surgical technique involved harvesting a skin paddle based on a single perforator and a separate vastus lateralis muscle from the same donor site. The reconstruction aimed to provide oral cavity lining, oro-cervical separation, and ITF obliteration. Results: Patient age ranged from 38 to 76 years (mean 53.6). The majority had buccal mucosa (54.5%) and retromolar trigone (36.3%) cancers. The FALT skin paddle size varied from 94.2 to 408.2 cm², with muscle bulk between 201.0 and 391.9 cm³. Complications included seroma and hematoma in 9.1% of cases, with 81.8% showing no complications. No donor site morbidity was noted. Post-operative mouth opening ranged between 2.5 and 3.5 cm. Most patients (72.7%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. All maintained local-regional control status. Conclusion: The chimeric FALT-VLM flap is a robust technique for reconstructing complex oral cancer defects, effectively addressing both functional and aesthetic needs. This approach, combining skin and muscle components with independent vascular supplies, represents a significant advancement in reconstructive surgery for advanced OSCC. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-05286-3.

Indexed as

Head and neck cancerInfratemoral fossaOral cancerReconstruction

Identifiers

PMID40070747
PMCPMC11890880

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