Extended nasolabial flap compared with the platysma myocutaneous muscle flap for reconstruction of intraoral defects after release of oral submucous fibrosis: a comparative study

We compared extended nasolabial flaps and coronoidectomy with platysma myocutaneous muscle flaps in the management of 20 randomly selected patients with histologically confirmed oral submucous fibrosis. Ten patients were treated by release of fibrous bands, bilateral coronoidectomy, and reconstruction with an extended nasolabial flap (nasolabial group), and the other 10 by bilateral release of fibrous bands, coronoidectomy, and reconstruction with a platysma myocutaneous muscle flap (platysma group). In the nasolabial group the mean preoperative interincisal mouth opening was 12 (range 3–14) mm, and in the platysma group it was 11 (3–13). All 20 patients were given vigorous postoperative physiotherapy, and were followed up for 3 years. The interincisal mouth opening improved to 47 (35–45) mm in the nasolabial group and 48 (41–52) mm in the platysma group. The procedures were equally effective in the management of the oral submucous fibrosis, except that the extraoral scar was not aesthetically acceptable in the nasolabial group.