Abstract
Submental island flap （SIF） was first reported by Dr. Martin in 1993 as an axial-patterned flap in head and neck reconstruction. Blood supply of the SIF is provided by the submental artery, which is a well-defined branch of the facial artery. We surgically treated seven patients with oral cancer using SIF to reconstruct the defects between October 2017 and July 2018. These patients met the following criteria that are generally considered to be indications of SIF: no neck metastasis and small to medium-sized defects. In addition, SIF may be used for elderly patients and patients with comorbidities who require reduced operative burdens. Although partial necrosis of the flap was observed in two of the seven patients, all patients remained symptom-free of recurrence and metastasis at follow-up 14 to 23 months later.
