AESTHETIC AND FUNCTIONAL RECONSTRUCTION WITH THE TRAPEZIUS OSSEOMYOCUTANEOUS FLAP AND DENTAL IMPLANTS IN ORAL CAVITY CANCER-PATIENTS

The trapezius osseomyocutaneous flap is the only pedicled flap that is able to transfer vascularized bone for mandibular reconstruction as w ell as skin for intra-extra oral reconstruction, The trapezius muscle also helps to fill the defect created by the neck dissection and cover s the vessels of the neck. This flap has been used in our maxillofacia l surgery service during the past 14 years. In spite of having incorpo rated microvascular flaps in our reconstructive techniques it continue s to be one of the flaps we use in selected patients for bone and soft tissue compound defects of the oral cavity. We describe in this artic le our experience using this flap crith dental implants in order to ac hieve a functional reconstruction. We also discuss when we use this fl ap for mandibular reconstruction and when a free vascularized flap is used.