Abstract: PURPOSE: To assess the clinical outcome of submental island flap used in reconstruction of intraoral defect after radical ablation of early oral cancers. METHODS: From November 2014 to August 2017，24 submental island flaps were used to reconstruct soft tissue defects after radical ablation of early oral squamous cell carcinoma (16 in tongue, 5 in gingival, 3 in buccal mucosa). Supraomohyoid neck dissection was performed in all patients. The clinical outcome such as flap survival, tumor recurrence, survival time, and quality of life were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-three submental flap transfers were successful, accounting for 96%. One local recurrence of gingival SCC was found, accounting for 4%. Two patients of tongue SCC had postoperative cervical lymph node metastasis, accounting for 8%. No death was noted during 3-30 months of follow-up. The functional and esthetic results were satisfied for all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Simpler fabrication, less time, higher success rate, and easy postoperative care make submental island flap an reliable choice for reconstruction of intraoral defects after resection of early oral cancers.

Key words: Submental island flap, Oral cancers, Reconstruction