Description

Tumor resections involving the oral cavity or oropharynx cause significant functional deficits in swallowing and speech and subsequently impair the patients' quality of life. The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is widely regarded as a workhorse flap to reconstruct such defects. Previous studies assessing recovery of reinnervated ALT flaps reported superior sensory recovery, improved swallow function, and improved overall patient satisfaction in patients with reinnervated flaps compared with patients who received ALT flap reconstruction without sensory reinnervation. Recently, the profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap has been proposed as an alternative donor site in malnourished patients with thin lateral thigh thickness. However, reinnervation of PAP flaps has not been described. The study assesses sensory recovery after defect reconstruction with the reinnervated profunda artery perforator flap using already approved, non-invasive testing (Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing, two-point discrimination, temperature, pain perception)