Full reconstruction of a maxillary hard palate defect using a retrograde submental island flap in an adenoid cystic carcinoma: A case study

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare type of salivary gland tumor, accounting for approximately 1% of all malignant head and neck tumors. Most patients that present with locally advanced ACC require complex resection and reconstruction. The submental island flap has gained popularity as a technique for reconstructing small to moderate-sized oral cavity defects because it is simple to perform and reproduce. We present a case of a maxillary hard-palate ACC reconstruction, using a retrograde submental flap post-tumor wide excision. Few previous studies have addressed reconstructing such an extensive defect by using a submental island flap in the maxillary hard palate; thus, we present this case study as a reference for treating maxillary defects.