[Use of radial forearm free flap for the reconstruction of hard and soft palate].

[OBJECTIVE] Improvement functional and aesthetic results of treatment patients with defects of the hard and soft palate after resections for malignant tumors.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] During the period from 2014 to 2020, 30 patients underwent microsurgical reconstruction of hard and soft palate defects using a radial forearm free flap. For the primary tumor process, surgery was performed in 21 patients (70%), for relapse after chemotherapy, combined or complex treatment - in 9 patients (30%). The majority of patients at the time of surgery had a locally advanced process of the T2 category (12 patients - 40%), T3 (2 patients - 7%) and T4 - 2 patients (7%). Localized stage T1 process was diagnosed in 5 patients (17%).

[RESULTS] Total flap necrosis was noted in 3 cases (10%) due to venous thrombosis on the 2nd and 3rd days after surgery and arterial thrombosis on the 2nd day. In one observation, on the 2nd day after surgery, a tense hematoma was diagnosed in the zone of formation of microanastomoses without signs of impaired flap perfusion, which required an emergency surgical intervention. All patients returned to their normal meals. No rhinolalia was observed in any of the cases. In one case, a patient with a defect in the anterior part of the hard palate obtained an unsatisfactory aesthetic result deformity of the midface; in all other cases, an excellent aesthetic result was obtained.

[CONCLUSION] For defects of the hard palate of posterior localization and minimal or no defect of the alveolar edge of the maxilla (class I, a, b according to Braun, class Ia, Ib according to Okay, class V according to Armany), as well as for the defects of the soft palate, the method of choice is radial forearm free flap. The size of the skin area of the flap can reach 6X8 cm, which makes it possible to replace the combined defects of the hard and soft palate, the lateral wall of the oropharynx, and the retromolar region. The plasticity of the flap makes it possible to reconstruct the total defects of the soft palate by forming it in the form of a duplication.