Abstract: Background and purpose: Anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) is the most commonly used flap for oral cancer surgery. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the information of oral cancer patients and to explore how to minimize the incidence of effusion in the donor site. Methods: This study included 149 patients who underwent surgery in Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from Apr. 2018 to Dec. 2018. According to the different methods of preparing and processing the ALTF, we divided these patients into three groups. In the first group, 37 patients were prepared with ALTF upon the fascia lata, the fascia lata was sutured, and the thigh was not bandaged after surgery. In the second group, 66 patients were prepared with ALTF below the fascia lata. Because all these patients had relatively large tissue defect, the fascia lata could not be sutured completely. After surgery, thigh was bandaged in all these patients. In the third group, 46 patients were prepared with ALTF below the fascia lata. The fascia lata was not sutured without pressure bandage. One month after surgery, we followed up the occurrence of effusion in the donor site. Results: The overall incidence of postoperative effusion in the thigh donor site was 10.07%. No one in the first group had effusion, and the incidence of effusion in the second group and the third group was 10.61% and 17.39%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences among these three groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: The preparation of ALTF upon the fascia lata is less prone to effusion than the preparation of ALFT below the fascia lata. Furthermore, bandaging the donor area of the thigh after surgery can also reduce the incidence of effusion.

Key words: Oral cancer, Anterolateral thigh flap, Thigh donor area, Effusion