A new intraoral flap: facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap

Plast Reconstr Surg. 1992 Sep;90(3):421-9. doi: 10.1097/00006534-199209000-00009.

Abstract

By combining the principles of nasolabial and buccal mucosal flaps, we have designed a new axial musculomucosal flap based on the facial artery. This flap has been designated the facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap. The flap has proven to be reliable either superiorly based (retrograde flow) or inferiorly based (antegrade flow). It is versatile and has been used 18 times in 15 patients, with one failure and two partial losses. It has been used successfully to reconstruct a wide variety of difficult oronasal mucosal defects, including defects of the palate, alveolus, nasal septum, antrum, upper and lower lips, floor of the mouth, and soft palate.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arteries / transplantation
  • Arteriovenous Malformations / surgery
  • Bone Transplantation
  • Child
  • Cleft Palate / surgery
  • Face / blood supply*
  • Facial Muscles / anatomy & histology
  • Facial Muscles / transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Lip / blood supply
  • Lip / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Mucosa / anatomy & histology
  • Mouth Mucosa / transplantation*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / surgery
  • Surgical Flaps / methods*
  • Surgical Flaps / pathology
  • Veins / anatomy & histology