Mobile tongue reconstruction with the free dorsalis pedis flap.

Reconstruction of the mobile tongue needs soft and thin tissue not to disturb tongue movement, and therefore a free forearm flap has usually been used for this kind of reconstruction. However, it entails a cosmetic problem, especially for young people. We have detained good results with tongue reconstructions using free dorsalis pedis flaps. The donor site of the dorsalis pedis flap is inconspicuous. The dorsalis pedis flap is thin (even among obese persons), has a long vessel pedicle, and stable blood supply. In cases of head and neck reconstruction, two teams can easily operate simultaneously. This flap is not as large as a forearm flap but it is large enough for hemitongue reconstruction. We measured the thickness of the soft tissue of both the dorsalis pedis and the forearm among obese volunteers. Dorsalis pedis was not as thick as the forearm.