FUNCTIONAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL FINDINGS FOL LOWING PEDICLED AND MICROANASTOMOSED TISSUE TRANSFER

From 1982 to 1992, large intraoral and pharyngeal soft-tissue defects were reconstructed using myocutaneous island flaps in 95 patients, fre e jejunal interpositions in 10 patients and forearm flaps in 18 patien ts at the Magdeburg School of Medicine, Department and Clinic of Otorh inolaryngology Sixty-five patients were followed up after various time periods in order to assess the functional results. Investigation and evaluation of the individual patients' resultant quality of life were based on a specifically prepared examination questionnaire. In particu lar, the evaluation included: the mouth opening gap, motility of the t ongue, sufficient masticatory area, adequate provision to fit artifici al teeth, malocclusion, the extent of mandibular deviation, assessment of the swallowing act, articulation disturbances, paraesthesia, funct ion accessory nerve, atrophy of the trapezius muscle, motility of the cervical spine, flexibility in the shoulder girdle, as well as subject ive information obtained from the patients (pain, feeling of dryness, increased salivation, occupational rehabilitation, organisation of lei sure time). In 45 patients, biopsy material from the transferred tissu e was examined at varied time intervals after primary therapy. In conc lusion: The functional results obtained for the myocutaneous island fl aps, the forearm flap and the free jejunal interposition were satisfac tory, and only minor differences were noted. From the morphological po int of view, all the three types of tissue transfer were found to have adapted adequately to the recipient site.