[The application of submental flap in the nasopharyngectomy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

To explore the anatomy and clinical application of submental flap in the nasopharyngectomy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The anatomical study of the submental flap was carried out on 5 cadavers, focusing on exploring the channel of the submental flap transposition to the nasopharyngeal skull base area, and analyzing the nasopharyngeal skull base area covered by the submental flap. A retrospective analysis of 4 patients with submental flap repairment after nasopharyngectomy was performed, and the surgical methods and techniques of submental flap to repair nasopharyngeal nasal skull base defect were introduced in detail. Rusults: It showed that the submental flap could be transposed into the nasopharyngeal skull base through the posteromedial of the mandible-posterior pterygoid muscle-parapharyngeal space channel, and could cover the paraclival internal carotid artery. Clinical practice showed that the submental flap was successfully used to repair the nasopharyngeal skull base defect in 4 patients, and the submental flap grew well in the follow-up. The submental flap is suitable for the repair of the nasopharyngeal skull base defect after nasopharyngeal carcinoma surgery, and it is worthy of clinical promotion.