Use of Nasolabial Flap in the Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis – A Clinical Study

Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic debilitating disease associated with restricted mouth opening and poor oral hygiene. The treatment aims at good release of fibrosis and to provide long term results in terms of mouth opening. Various local grafts have been used to cover the buccal mucosal defects after the fibrotic bands are released in oral submucous fibrosis. Successful use of inferiorly based nasolabial flaps in the management of oral submucous fibrosis is projected. A total of 10 histologically proven cases of oral submucous fibrosis having a mouth opening of less than 20 mm were surgically treated .The procedure involved (1) bilateral release of fibrotic bands (2) measurement of intra-operative interincisal distance (greater than 35 mm achieved in all patients after release of bands) (3) covering the defects with inferiorly based nasolabial flap. All patients had post-operative physiotherapy, and were followed up regularly for one year. All flaps healed without evidence of infection, dehiscence, or necrosis. Results were assessed by comparing the preoperative & pos-toperative maximum mouth opening. The inferiorly based nasolabial “islanded” flaps provide reliable coverage of defects of the buccal mucosa and improves mouth opening