RECOVERY OF SENSATION IN THE RADIAL FOREARM FREE-FLAP IN ORAL RECONSTRUCTION

The purpose of this study was to find out to what extent sensory funct ion recovers in a free radial forearm flap used for intraoral reconstr uction after surgery for oral cancer. In 40 free radial forearm flaps we investigated the perception of light touch, two-point discriminatio n, pain, directional sensation, and temperature between 6 months and 1 1 years after flap transfer to the oral cavity. Four flaps (10 percent ) were anesthetic, 21 flaps (52.5 percent) recovered partly, and 15 fl aps (37.5 percent) had perception of all sensory modalities tested in at least two-thirds of the nap area. All patients with positive sensat ion in the surrounding area subsequently had good sensory recovery in the flap. This suggests that recovery of sensation in a nonreinnervate d free flap is due to nerve ingrowth from the surrounding mucosa. The present results suggest that sensory function in intraoral free radial forearm flaps returns again. Further study is necessary to define the use of neurofasciocutaneous radial forearm flaps in reconstruction of the oral cavity.