Superficial circumflex iliac perforator flaps for maxilla defects with intraoral anastomosis or pedicle elongation techniques

• Published in: BMC oral health Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 1302 - 7
• Main Authors: Wang, Wei, Lyu, Xiao-Ming, Zhong, Yi-Wei, Shi, Yan, Zhang, Jie, Wong, Raymond Chung Wen, Zheng, Lei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 27.10.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aesthetics; Aged; Anastomosis; Anastomosis, Surgical - methods; Arteries; Cadavers; Cancer; Care and treatment; Diagnosis; Elongation; Epidermis; Feasibility Studies; Female; Fistula; Flaps (Surgery); Free tissue flaps; Health aspects; Humans; Iliac artery; Iliac Artery - surgery; Iliac Artery - transplantation; Ilium - surgery; Ilium - transplantation; Male; Maxilla; Maxilla - surgery; Medical imaging; Microsurgery; Microsurgery - methods; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Neck; Patient outcomes; Patients; Perforator Flap - blood supply; Perforator Flap - transplantation; Plastic Surgery Procedures - methods; Quality of life; Reconstructive surgery; Rehabilitation; Risk factors; Surgical anastomosis; Surgical outcomes; Veins & arteries; Young Adult; China; Microsurgery; Surgical anastomosis; Rehabilitation; Free tissue flaps; Iliac artery
• ISSN: 1472-6831; 1472-6831
• DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-05073-0

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the superficial circumflex iliac perforator flap (SCIP) for maxillary reconstruction with intraoral anastomosis, pedicle elongation, and super-microsurgery techniques to overcome its anatomical shortcomings due to the attractive merits of the flap. Patients who underwent reconstruction of maxillary defects with SCIPs from July 2020 to December 2022 were included. Intraoral anastomosis, pedicle elongation, and super-microsurgery were performed during surgery with or without a neck incision. The sizes, pedicle lengths, inner calibres of vessels, complications and flap survival statuses were recorded. A total of 12 patients were included, with 3 males and 9 females, and the median age was 45 years, ranging from 14 to 74 years. There were 5 class IIa and 7 class IIb defects, 6 cases underwent maxillary defect reconstruction via SCIPs with intraoral anastomosis, and the other 6 cases with distally design and/or de-epidermis pedicle elongation. Super-microsurgery interventions were needed in 5 patients. The size ranged from 3 cm×4 cm to 6 cm×8 cm. The pedicle length ranged from 4 cm to 12 cm, with a median of 6 cm. The inner caliber of the arteries ranged from 0.7 mm to 2 mm, with a median of 1 mm, and the veins ranged from 1.5 mm to 4 mm, with a median of 2.5 mm. All the flaps survived, and no donor site complications occurred. Superficial circumflex iliac perforator flaps can be regarded as feasible and safe choices for maxillary defects with the support of intraoral anastomosis, pedicle elongation and super-microsurgery.