The submental island flap in head and neck reconstruction

BACKGROUND: The submental island flap (SIF) is a new alternative in the reconstruction of various head and neck defects. We present our preliminary experience in the use of this flap and describe the surgical technique. METHODS: Nine patients underwent reconstruction with the SIF between January 1998 and July 1999. The SIF has been used for the reconstruction of the cervical esophageal stenosis in 2 patients, floor of mouth and tongue defects in 6 patients, and a hemilaryngectomy defect in 1 patient. RESULTS: With the exception of one partial flap loss caused by arterial insufficiency, no flap failures were observed. All the donor site defects but one were closed primarily. One patient who underwent reconstruction of a hemilaryngectomy defect underwent revision surgery because of intractable hair growth on the transferred skin paddle. Marginal mandibular nerve function was intact in all the cases. CONCLUSIONS: When combined with the reported experience of other surgeons, our preliminary experience showed that the SIF was an excellent alternative in the reconstruction of head and neck defects because of its reliability, versatility, and relative ease of application.