Adipofascial anterolateral thigh free flap in head and neck reconstruction: a case series.

[BACKGROUND] The adipofascial anterolateral thigh (AF-ALT) free flap represents a versatile technique in head and neck reconstructions, with its applications increasingly broadening. The objective was to detail the novel utilization of the AF-ALT flap in orbital and skull base reconstruction, along with salvage laryngectomy onlay in our case series.

[METHOD] We conducted a retrospective analysis at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, spanning from July 2019 to June 2023, focusing on patient demographics and reconstructive parameters data.

[RESULTS] The AF-ALT flap was successfully employed in eight patients (average age 59, body mass index [BMI] 32.0) to repair various defects. Noteworthy outcomes were observed in skull base reconstructions, with no flap failures or major complications over an average 12-month follow-up. Donor sites typically healed well with minimal interventions.

[CONCLUSION] Our series is the first to report the AF-ALT flap's efficacy in anterior skull base and orbital reconstructions, demonstrating an additional innovation in complex head and neck surgeries.