Sensory recovery and oral health-related quality of life following tongue reconstruction using non-innervated radial forearm free flaps.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to monitor the recovery of somatosensory function and oral health-related quality of life after tongue reconstruction using a non-innervated radial forearm free flap (RFFF). Methods Twenty patients (9 men, age: 42–67 years) underwent tongue reconstruction with non-innervated RFFFs, and twenty age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. Quantitative sensory testing (QST), including cold, warm, and mechanical detection thresholds (CDT, WDT, MDT); cold, heat, and mechanical pain thresholds (CPT, HPT, MPT); and static two-point, sharp/blunt, and direction discrimination (S2-PD, S/BD, DD) were determined 9 months and 18 months after surgery on the surgical (9 M, 18 M) and contralateral sides (9Mc, 18Mc). Oral Health Impact Profile-49 (OHIP-49) was used to determine the oral-related quality of life of participants. Results All parameters showed significantly lower sensitivity at 9 M and 18 M (p  Conclusion The present findings showed significant impairment in somatosensory function on both the surgical and contralateral sides of patients with RFFFs. However, a significant increase in somatosensory function was observed on both sides over time. Somatosensory disturbances observed after surgery were associated with poor oral health-related quality of life.