Flaps for Neck and Facial Reconstruction: Experience of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital in Lome (Togo)

Introduction. Flaps are very contributive to reconstructive surgery of the face. The aim of this study was to present our experience in the management of neck and face reconstruction, using musculocutaneous or myomucosal flaps at Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital in Lome (Togo) Patients and Method. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of pedicled musculocutaneous and myomucosal flaps performed in Stomatology and Maxillo-facial surgery department from 1^st january 2013 to 31 december 2022. Results. As the department does not have an operating microscope, we retrieved 15 cases. Flaps were performed on 14 patients, 06 male and 08 female, giving a sex ratio of 0.75. The mean age was 47.36 ± 18.49 years. Tumours were found in 12 cases, 85.72% of loss of substance aetiologies. Tumours were malignant in all cases, with Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) as the histological type. The oral cavity was the location in 9 cases (64.29%), the face in 3 cases (21.43%), and the neck in 2 cases (14.28%). The pectoralis major muscle-myocutaneous flap was used in 5 cases (33.33%), the infra-hyoid flap in 3 cases (20%). In the follow-up, we had 3 partial necrosis, 2 cases of tumour progression and one case of tumour recurrence at the flap recipient site. Conclusion. Flaps are very contributive to reconstructive surgery of the face. A wide range of flaps was used with satisfactory results. An improvement of the technical platform would make it possible to extend the possibilities of reconstruction of cervico-facial loss of substance using flaps.