Comparison between hockey stick and reversed hockey stick incision: gentlycurved single linear neck incisions for oral cancer

Hockey stick incision (HSI) and reversed-HSI are known to be useful incisio ns for lymph node dissections of the neck. Both are gently curved single li near incisions without three-point suture line junctions, but are different at the base of the skin flap. The HSI allows the elevation of a superiorly -based single cervical skin flap and the reversed-HSI allows for an inferio rly-based flap. We compared the viability of the skin flaps, exposure of th e operation field and cosmetic results to evaluate the characteristics of e ach incision. HSI appeared to be the suitable incision for radical neck dis section due to adequate exposure of the operation field while rendering exc ellent cosmetic results. Reversed-HSI was applied in combination with block resection of parts of the oral cavity because it provided much better expo sure of the operation field than HSI, while still achieving acceptable cosm etic results. Using this technique, a small area of marginal necrosis was o ccasionally seen at the apex of the skin flap due to poor blood supply.