Role of Buccal Pad of Fat in Reconstruction of the Buccal Mucosa Defects

Carcinoma buccal mucosa is the most common oral cavity cancer in India. Following excision of these lesions the defects can be reconstructed using various reconstructive techniques. Buccal pad of fat has been successfully used in the reconstruction of small palatal defects and in the closure of the oro antral fistula. This study aims at evaluating the role of buccal pad of fat in reconstruction of defects following excision of the small to medium premalignant lesions and T1–T2 malignant lesions of buccal mucosa. This study has 20 patients who presented between January 2013 and January 2015, with biopsy proven premalignant lesions and early malignant lesions in the buccal mucosa. The lesions were excised and reconstructed with buccal pad of fat. Patients were followed up for a period of 3 months, in this period were evaluated for flap epithelisation, postoperative complications like flap necrosis and infection and also the functional outcomes of the flap. In our study complete epithelisation of the flap was seen in all patients. Wound dehiscence was seen in three patients with larger defetcs(>5 cm). None of our patients had any post operative morbidity. This flap is therefore an excellent reconstruction technique for small to medium buccal mucosa defects as it is convenient, reliable, fast, has rich vascularity, easy accessibility, fewer complications and minimal or no donor site morbidity.