HEAD AND NECK RECONSTRUCTION USING THE PLATYSMA MYOCUTANEOUS FLAP

A retrospective analysis of our experience with 41 patients who receiv ed a platysma myocutaneous flap for reconstruction of intraoral and ph aryngeal defects is presented. All patients had epidermoid carcinoma o f the head and neck region, with tumor size ranging from T1 to T4. The primary sites of malignancy were the oral cavity (61%), the oropharyn x (32%), and the hypopharynx (7%). Either radical or modified radical neck dissection requiring routine ligation of the facial artery was pe rformed in all 41 patients. Adjuvant therapy included preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy (39%) and preoperative chemotherapy (73%). The mean hospital stay was 13 days. Flap-related complications occurre d in eight patients (19%) only. These included partial flap necrosis i nvolving the epithelium alone, skin necrosis of the neck suture line, and fistula formation. Most complications resolved with local care onl y. Minor surgical intervention was required in three patients. There w ere no perioperative deaths. These results indicate that the platysma myocutaneous flap is a viable alternative in head and neck reconstruct ion.