Treatment and long-term follow-up of oral cancer postoperative sialorrhea with dermal sling operation.

INTRODUCTION: Reconstruction of a full-thickness defect that includes oral commissure presents a considerable challenge to maxillofacial and plastic surgeons. The goals of reconstruction are both functional and cosmetic. Sialorrhea, or drooling, is a major problem after flap reconstruction and influences the quality of life of the patient. In this article, we report on our experience performing a dermal sling operation to treat postoperative sialorrhea in patients with oral cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative levels of sialorrhea were evaluated based on the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale. Dermal sling operations were performed on 27 patients from January 2000 to December 2013. In these patients, 12 cases were reviewed and followed up over 1 year.

RESULTS: Of the 12 patients, 11 were men and one was a woman, with the mean age of 58 years (range, 40-79 years). There were no operative complications. The mean preoperative score was 4.75 (range, 3-7), and the mean postoperative score was 3.83 (range, 2-5). This change was significant (P=0.005), with valuation with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The mean time of follow-up was 3.5 years (range, 1.1-7.7 years).

CONCLUSIONS: The dermal sling operation is an acceptable treatment for postoperative sialorrhea in patients with commissure-involved oral cancer.