[Clinical study on reconstruction of hemifacial atrophy with serratus anterior free-muscle flap].

OBJECTIVE: To study the method of treating hemifacial atrophy with free serratus muscle flap. METHODS: Three patients diagnosed as having serious hemifacial atrophy was treated with free serratus muscle flap. The root of the flap was thoracodorsal artery and thoracodorsal vein, which was anastomosed with superficial temporal artery and vein, facial artery and vein, lingual artery and vein, and so on. During the operation, long thoracic nerve was dissected and anastomosed with facial nerve. The sizes of the flaps were 12 cm x 8 cm - 16 cm x 12 cm. RESULTS: All free-muscle flaps healed well after the transplant. The face and buccal area looked chubby and rounded. There were no obvious protuberance and discontentment on the buccal area. The shoulders of all patients moved well. The facial contour of the patients recovered well during the follow-up period (1-3 years). CONCLUSION: The method has a good result. The long-term effect needs further study.