Free anterolateral thigh full-thickness skin flap with vascularized lateral femoral cutaneous nerve for the reconstruction of facial nerve and external auditory canal after the resection of facial nerve schwannoma

Abstract

The complex reconstruction of nerves and soft tissue in the head and neck region is still challenging, especially in cases requiring external auditory canal reconstruction with facial nerve reconstruction. We report a case of left facial schwannoma extending into the external auditory canal beyond the tympanic membrane with facial paralysis in which the reconstruction of both the facial nerve and external auditory canal was successfully performed using an anterolateral thigh flap as a super-thin full-thickness skin flap, including vascularized lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Resection of 20 mm × 46 mm facial schwannoma, including the skin of the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane, incus and malleus, was performed. The 8-cm nerve gap was repaired using a vascularized lateral femoral cutaneous nerve included in the anterolateral thigh flap. An 8 cm × 2 cm super-thin, free anterolateral thigh flap was then rolled up as a sac (diameter of 2 cm, height of 2 cm) and inset to the external auditory canal defect. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the flap survived completely. One year and nine months after the surgery, the patient’s facial movement has improved to the pre-surgery level.