Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate tongue function in patients with tongue cancer after reconstruction with innervated supraclavicular fasciocutaneous island flaps (iSFIFs) with the cervical plexus (iSFIFs-SPN) or reinnervated SFIFs with neurorrhaphy of the cervical plexus and lingual nerve (rSFIFs-SPN-LN).
Methods: Forty-two tongue defects were reconstructed using iSFIFs-SPN and rSFIFs-SPN-LN. Two-point discrimination tests revealed a significant difference on the dorsal and ventral hemitongue reconstructed using rSFIFs-SPN-LN from control values.
Results: No statistical difference in swallowing, speech, or esthetic outcome was found in the iSFIFs-SPN or the rSFIFs-SPN-LN. A significant difference was noted in the dorsal aspect and ventral surface of hemitongues reconstructed with rSFIFs-SPN-LN from control values and between 6 and 12 months.
Conclusion: Sensation after hemitongue reconstruction with the iSFIF-SPN and the neurorrhaphy of the cervical plexus nerve was sutured to the lingual nerve, sensation after hemitongue reconstruction with the rSFIF-SPN-LN approached normal 6 to12 months postoperatively.
Keywords: hemitongue reconstruction; neurorrhaphy; supraclavicular flap; tongue cancer; tongue defects.
Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.