ABSTRACT
The authors report the use of free groin flaps to do ral defects in 24 patients following
ablative tongue cancer surgery. The lateral thin portion of the flap was used for
tongue reconstruction, and the deepithelialized medial thick portion for filling the
mandibular defect and for covering the important vessels in the neck In lean patients,
if the medial deepithelialized portion was too thin for adequate coverage, the proximal
sartorius muscle was included to prevent postoperative orocervical fistula.
The advantages of the groin flap in reconstructing the tongue and oral floor after
hemiglossectomy include the following: (1) a suitable amount of tissue is available
for both the tongue and oral floor; the Important vessels in the neck may be protected
with the flap; (3) the proximal sartorius muscle can be included with the flap, if
necessary: (4) donor-site morbidity is less than with other flaps: and (5) flap elevation
can be done concurrently with the hemiglossectomy and radical neck dissection.
