Pedicled Forehead Flap for Salvage Reconstruction after Free Flap Failure in Advanced Buccal Mucosa Carcinoma - A Case Report
N Deenadayalan, Murugavel Chandrasekaran, Deepak Abraham Pandyan, S Thara Chandra, M Priyanka, S Abishek GowthamAbstract
Microvascular free flaps, particularly the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap, are widely regarded as the gold standard for reconstruction following extensive oral cancer resections; however, flap failure, though uncommon, presents a significant reconstructive challenge. We report the case of a 57-year-old male with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the left buccal mucosa who underwent composite resection followed by reconstruction using a free ALT flap, which subsequently developed partial failure in the postoperative period. Considering the patient’s multiple comorbidities, compromised recipient vessels, and the urgency of soft tissue coverage, a pedicled lateral forehead flap was employed as a salvage reconstructive option. This report describes a failed ALT flap reconstruction in advanced buccal mucosa carcinoma successfully managed with a pedicled lateral forehead flap.