Uses of tongue flaps in oroantral communication

Abstract

Introduction: The tongue flap is a surgical option to stop oroantral communication (OAC). Observation: An OAC secondary to a palatal cystic adenoid carcinoma was treated with a tongue flap. The intervention consisted of creating a pedicle flap to close the gap, which was then used to close the communication 3 weeks after the first procedure. Discussion: The tongue flap allows for the closure of the relatively large OAC, it has the advantage of being reliable and easy to perform; however, its main disadvantage is the need for two separate surgical interventions. Between the two procedures, the patient’s diet must be exclusively mixed.

Keywords

• oroantral communication
• tongue flap
• weaning