Submental Island Flap In Restoration Of Orofacial Defects

Objective:To explore the clinical value of repairing maxillofacial defects with submental island flap and the anatomic basis.Methods:Five Chinese adult cadavers fixed by 10% formalin and red emulsion were used to dissect, and then measured using software image pro-plus 6.0, the contents include the location, dimension, projection, branch of submental artery and vein, relationship of the submental vessels and marginal mandibular branch of facial nerve, mandibular angle and mandibular margin. Meanwhile,42 patients with orofacial cancer were studied retrospectively, the defects were reconstructed with submental island flap simultaneously.Results:All submental arteries arise from the deep surface of anterior belly of digastric muscle to the deep surface of inferior margin of mandible to subcutaneous.The distance from the point of the origin of the submental artery to the lower border of the mandible and the mandibular angle are (7.61 ±2.21) mm and (23.47±7.72) mm, respectively. The diameter of submental artery is (1.75±0.77) mm in the origin, the length of the submental artery trunk is (48.45 ± 7.58) mm. Out of all, submental artery arises from the facial artery. Moreover,42 flaps are successful. Followed up from 5 months to 5 years,2 cases encountered recurrence and lymphnode metastasis.Conclusion:Submental island flap plays an important role in reconstruction followinng orofacial defect, which contributes to its good vessel supply, easily harvesting and so on.