Comparative Evaluation of Reconstructive Methods in Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Abstract

Background Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, scarring, precancerous condition of oral mucosa which on progression causes severe trismus. Aim and Objectives To compare and evaluate the efficiency of buccal fat pad, platysmal mucocutaneous flap, nasolabial flap, collagen membrane graft, split thickness skin graft and temporoparietal fascia in reconstruction of surgical defect created by excision of fibrous bands in oral submucous fibrosis. Results After 6 months of follow-up, the interincisal mouth opening was 40.0 mm in case of buccal pad fat, 24.5 mm in temporoparietal fascia flap group, 33.8 in collagen membrane graft group, 34.5 mm in platysma flap group, 34.7 mm in nasolabial flap group, 29.3 mm in split thickness skin graft. ANOVA statistical analysis for postoperative interincisal distance at various time intervals and between pre-, intra-and postoperative interincisal distances were carried out which showed the results were significant at p value \ 0.05 in all groups. No postoperative complications were noted in buccal fat pad group, split thickness skin graft group and collagen membrane group. However, platysmal group had flap necrosis and temporoparietal flap group patients had to undergo a second debulking procedure after one month. Conclusion From our study, we concluded buccal fat pad yields superior results with respect to postoperative mouth opening and related complications.