Buccinator Myomoucosal Flap

Fagan, Johan

Buccinator Myomoucosal Flap

Open Education Resource

2025-10-31

Abstract

The Buccinator Myomucosal Flap is an axial flap, based on the facial and/or buccal arteries. It is a flexible and versatile flap well suited to reconstructing soft tissue defects of the oral cavity, oropharynx and nasal septum. Unlike most free flaps, it provides mucosal cover, as opposed to skin cover, and is sensate. The donor site can usually be closed primarily without causing deformity or scarring. The flap is about 5mm thick, and comprises buccal mucosa, submucosa and buccinator muscle, with the feeding vessels and vascular plexus. The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle in the cheek. It originates from the outer surfaces of the alveolar processes of the maxilla and mandible. Posteriorly it arises from the pterygomandibular raphe. Anteriorly it inserts into the orbicularis oris muscle. Laterally it is related to the ramus of the mandible, the masseter and medial pterygoid muscles, the buccal fat pad and the buccopharyngeal fascia. Medially, it is covered by the submucosa and mucosa of the cheek. It is part of the pharyngealbuccalorbicularis sphincter system and functions to facilitate whistling, sucking, propelling food during mastication and voiding the buccal cavity.

Keywords

Bunccinator Mymucosal Flap

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