[Free forearm flap in the reconstruction of mucosal defects of the oral cavity and oropharynx after radical removal of a tumor].

In the Department of Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka in cooperation with ENT Department and the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, fifty patients with the mouth and the throat tumor were operated since 1985. The defects were covered with free radial forearm flaps. In seven cases flap did not survived due to thrombosis of the anastomosis. The arterial anastomosis were usually made on the external carotid artery branches. Seven anastomosis were made on the opposite side of the neck because homolateral carotid artery was ligated. In three cases terminolateral anastomosis with common carotid artery was made. In eight patients the bone defect of the lower jaw was reconstructed with vascularized radial bone graft. Irradiation and/or cytostatic therapy was mostly applied two weeks after surgery. The donor site defect has no functional nor aesthetic implications.