ANATOMIC EVALUATION OF ANTERIOR PLATYSMA MUSCLE

The structure of the submental platysma muscle was evaluated in 20 pre served cadavers. Four distinct patterns were identified, depending on the pattern of merging of the right and left platysma bundles. Fifteen percent of cases showed a complete platysma diaphragm submentally, wh ile in the other 85% there was some degree of midline dehiscence. In t he 85% of cases where right and left fibers merged or crossed to form a V or U shape, the apex of the V or U was measured relative to the ch in point. The distance between right and left fibers was measured at t wo locations posterior to the chin point. The width of the midline deh iscence (when present) was 6-24 mm (mean 11.8 mm) 1 cm posterior to it s apex and 10-44 mm (mean 20.00 mm) 2 cm posterior to the apex. The wi der and more divergent the dehiscence and the more U-shaped the dehisc ence between left and right platysma bundles, the greater may be the t endency to a ''turkey gobbler'' deformity with inadequate medial suppo rt for the skin and subcutaneous tissues.