Temporalis muscle flap for reconstruction of maxillofacial defects. Experience with twenty five cases

Abstract

Background: after a surgical resection of a tumor in the head and neck the surgical defect becomes a reconstructive challenge to any surgeon. Those patients that are not candidates for a free flap recons- truction become a bigger challenge because it forces surgeons to use another option like local flap.
Objective: To describe the use of the temporalis flap for reconstructive surgery of maxillofacial defects and compare the results with those of other centers.
Materials and methods: retrospective, observational analysis.
Results: twenty two patients presented malignant neoplasms, and three benign neoplasms. Seventeen flaps were used in the reconstruction of orbital exenteration and soft tissues resection and eight cases were used for oral cavity reconstruction. All flaps were successful. The minor complications found were: hematoma, infection, suture opening, frontal facial branch paralysis, reduced mouth opening, and the most frequently seen complication in our cases were loss of volume in the temporal region. 
Conclusions: the temporalis flap is a versatile flap and represents a safe and reliable reconstructive option for soft tissue defects of the maxillofacial area, especially in the orbit and oral cavity. It has good functional and esthetic results through a flap easy to handle and with low risk of failure.