Reconstruction of the anterior floor of the mouth with the inferiorly based nasolabial flap

The results of reconstruction of the anterior floor of the mouth, using 105 nasolabial flaps in 79 patients were reviewed in a retrospective study. Of those flaps, 82% healed uneventfully; flap survival was 95%. Considerable flap loss occurred in 5%. Primary dehiscence was observed in 5% of all flaps. This healed spontaneously with conservative therapy. In two cases (2%), an infection of the floor of the mouth required a reoperation: in one patient, a viable nasolabial flap had to be removed, and in the other case, the flap was maintained. Direct primary closure of an intraoral defect under tension should always be avoided. A lengthy and complex reconstruction is not always needed; the nasolabial flap is a safe and useful method for intraoral reconstruction. In case of small defects, it offers a fast and simple alternative to other pedicled naps and free flaps.