Myocutaneous platysma flap for full-thickness reconstruction of the upper and lower lip and commissura

Using platysma myocutaneous flap with Z-plasty for head and neck reconstruction

Cheek or head cancer and its treatments are difficult for head and neck surgeons. Large tumor resection can leave extensive defects in the facial region. Technique difficulties are always possible to cover existing defects. We are presenting a different platysma myocutaneous flap with Z-plasty.

Vertical platysma myocutaneous flap that sacrifices the facial artery and vein

Background

Platysma myocutaneous flap (PMF) is a generally used technique for defect reconstruction after an oral cancer resection. The aim of the study is to present our experience using vertical PMF that sacrificed the facial artery and vein for intraoral reconstruction.

Methods

A retrospective review of the medical records of 54 patients who underwent vertical PMF that sacrificed the facial artery and vein for intraoral reconstruction was performed. A comparison between PMF that sacrificed and that preserved the facial vessels was made, and we also compared PMF that sacrificed the facial vessels with radial forearm free flap (RFFF). Statistics concerning the patients’ clinical factors were gathered.

Results

The mean age of the 54 patients who underwent PMF that sacrificed the facial artery and vein was 62.0 ± 10.98 years. The co-morbid disease rate of PMF was 53.7%. The flap size ranged from 12 × 5.5 cm to 7 × 5 cm. Survival of the flap was found in all of the cases, with partial necrosis in four cases (7.4%) and total loss in none of the cases. The operation time was 5.7 ± 1.17 h. The complication and success rates were 27.8% and 92.6%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 77.8% (21/27) and 69.23% (9/13), respectively. The majority of the patients (87.0%) in our series were satisfied with the results of the surgery. There was no significant difference between PMF that sacrificed or that preserved the facial vessels, both in success rate (P = 1) or complication rate (P = 0.72). The patients in the PMF group were older than the patients in the RFFF group (P = 0.011), the operation time was shorter (P < 0.001), and the co-morbid disease rate was higher (P = 0.002). Although the complication rate of PMF (15/54, 27.8%) was higher than that of RFFF (2/34, 5.9%) (P = 0.011), their success rates were similar (92.6%, 94.1%) (P = 1.00).

Conclusions

Vertical PMF that sacrifices the facial artery and vein has specific advantages including in ease preparation and limitations. This technique may provide an effective method for intraoral reconstruction. Our experience in handling the flap may contribute to the success rate.

Novel flaps for head and neck reconstruction

The head and neck region is important both functionally and aesthetically and its reconstruction poses a formidable challenge for plastic surgeons. A perforator flap is a flap of skin or subcutaneous tissue supplied by a vessel that perforates the deep fascia to gain access to flap. With improvement in our knowledge of the anatomy of blood supply to the skin, the perforator flaps have opened a whole new horizon for the plastic surgeon to choose flaps with better function and cosmesis. The locally available perforators enable flaps to be designed with excellent match in tissue characteristics. Perforator flaps limit donor site morbidity and as they are islanded complete insetting is possible in a single stage. The principal perforator flaps such as facial artery perforator flap, platysma flap and its variant the submental flap and supra-clavicular artery flap used in the head and neck reconstruction are discussed. The more commonly used flaps are the free radial artery forearm flap and the anterolateral thigh flap while the novel ones are the thoracodorsal artery perforator flap, medial sural artery perforator flap and the toe-web flap for commissure reconstruction. The indications, reach and drawbacks of these flaps have been discussed in this review.

Anatomy of the platysma muscle and the evaluation of it for the reconstruction of facial defects

Reconstruction of the defects with various flaps is the main issue in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Tissues used for the repair of the defects of the face should be convenient for this most important aesthetic unit. Color, elasticity, and volume of the transferred tissues have the utmost importance for successful results. Platysma muscle flap appears to be a good alternative method for the reconstruction of the facial defects. Anatomic dissections on five fresh cadavers for the evaluation of the vascular structures and 11 clinical cases of reconstruction of the defects of the face and the neck with platysma muscle and musculocutaneous flaps are performed in this study to evaluate the efficacy and reliability of platysma flaps. Cadaveric dissections were performed on the face and the neck regions on both sides. Eleven patients with various defects on the face and the upper neck regions were surgically treated: three transverse cervical artery-based transverse musculocutaneous platysma flaps, seven facial artery-based vertical musculocutaneous platysma flaps, and one superior thyroidal artery-based platysma muscle flap were used for the repairs. The patients ranged in age from 42 to 74 years. The defects measured 2x3 cm to 6x9 cm and the flaps 3x3 cm to 7x10 cm. The follow-up periods were 2 to 21 months. Postoperative venous congestion between the 5th and 9th days was observed in seven patients. One patient had infection of the donor site, and another had infection of the recipient site; both recovered with systemic and topical antibiotherapy. Partial flap loss occurred in one patient. Our study concluded that platysma flaps showed sufficient tissue match with successful results for the reconstructive procedures of facial defects.

Is the Platysma Flap Musculocutaneous? Angiographic Study of the Platysma

BACKGROUND

The platysma flap has often been used for reconstructions of the head and neck, but the arterial anatomy of the platysma itself has not been clarified.

METHODS

The anterolateral neck skin in five sides of four fresh cadavers that had been injected systemically with a lead oxide-gelatin mixture was elevated and divided into three layers: the skin with adipofascial tissue over the platysma, the platysma, and the adipofascial tissue under the platysma. Radiographs were taken of each specimen using the soft x-ray system.

RESULTS

The anterolateral neck skin was chiefly supplied by branches of the submental, facial, superior thyroid, transverse cervical, and occipital arteries, and it was found that the vasculature of the arterial branches can be classified into three groups. In all of the groups, the arterial branches penetrated the platysma and did not run long in the platysma layer. The platysma was supplied by only small vessels from the arterial branches. Furthermore, there was little connection between the vascular plexus of the platysma and that of the skin layer with adipofascial tissue above the platysma and the platysma located in the subcutaneous tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

The platysma flap should be considered fasciocutaneous rather than musculocutaneous. Therefore, the platysma flap should usually be elevated with the deep adipofascial tissue under the platysma. Flap survival is threatened if it is elevated without the adipofascial tissue under the muscle as with a usual musculocutaneous flap.

The Expanded Transposition Flap: Shifting Paradigms Based on Experience Gained from Two Decades of Pediatric Tissue Expansion

The authors present their experience with the design of expanded skin flaps gained over the past two decades in a large series of 995 expanded flap reconstructions performed in 626 operations in 430 patients. The indications for tissue expansion were giant congenital pigmented nevi (72.7 percent), scar contractures (11.2 percent), and a remainder for a variety of congenital and acquired deformities. Surgical strategies were reviewed retrospectively to determine the location in the body where the tissue expansion was performed, the number of procedures required to accomplish the reconstructive goal, and the design of the expanded flap that was used to reconstruct the involved area. Specific points that were noticed included contour deformities (such as webbing, dog-ears, or decreased limb circumference) following flap reconstruction, anatomic distortions (such as distortion of the eyebrow or the distance from the brow to hairline) following reconstruction, final position of the scars in relation to anatomic landmarks, borders of aesthetic units, and relaxed skin tension lines, and the potential for later scar contracture. Careful examination of reconstruction by region of involvement demonstrated significant advantages in the use of expanded transposition flaps over pure advancement. These advantages and the modifications in the design of expanded flaps for each body region are discussed in a series of representative cases. They emphasize the ability of transposition flaps to dissipate tension away from the flap apex and distribute it more proximally, thus redirecting the tension lines so there is less likelihood of anatomic distortion in the reconstructed area. Also, flaps designed in this manner allow improved contour by avoiding webbing, tenting across concavities, and bunching of skin laterally. The authors conclude that restricting the expanded flap design to advancement alone to minimize potential scarring severely limits the reconstructive capabilities of the added tissue and distracts from the surgeon's ability to accomplish the initial reconstructive goal. The cost of additional incisions is worthwhile to achieve better final contour of the reconstructed part, lesser risk of anatomic distortion, better position of the scars, and lowered risk of scar contracture.