Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, China.
OBJECTIVE: To study the repair methods of the defect after resecting pharyngeal neoplasm and laryngeal neoplasm. METHODS: Four kinds of tongue flap, such as 1/3 tongue flap, 1/2 tongue base flap, tongue base flap and transverse tongue flap were devised and applied in 15 patients with pharyngeal neoplasm and laryngeal neoplasm. RESULTS: These tongue flaps were alive in all patients. The wound of 13 patients healed in I stage. Two patients dehiscenced because of infection and healed after treatment. All the patients deglutited well. One-year, 3-year, disease-free survive rate were 92.9% (13/14), 72.7% (8/11) respectively. CONCLUSION: Tongue flaps are obtained easily, with enough blood flow, adapted to pharyngeal environment, easily alive and low complication in repairing the pharyngeal defect. We think that these tongue flaps should be applied in clinic.