Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 65, Issue 5 , Pages 895-900, May 2007

The Superiorly Based Platysma Flap for Oral Reconstruction in Conjunction With Neck Dissection: A Case Series

  • Nikolaos Lazaridis, DDS, MD

      Affiliations

    • Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery “G. Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint request to Dr Lazaridis: 10 Mitr Gennadiou Str, Thessaloniki GR 54631 Greece
    • ,
  • Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos, DDS, MD

      Affiliations

    • Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery “G. Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
    • ,
  • Lambros Zouloumis, DDS, MD

      Affiliations

    • Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery “G. Papanikolaou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to access the reliability and use of the superiorly based platysma flap for reconstruction of small and medium oral defects.

Patients and Methods

This case series consists of 5 patients who were reconstructed with a superiorly based platysma flap for defects of the following oral region: buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, and lateral gingiva. The flaps were monitored for complications, including skin loss and ischemia in the postoperative period.

Results

Three patients (60%) had some skin sloughing in the recipient site. None of the patients had complications in the donor site.

Conclusion

The superiorly based platysma flap can survive after the facial artery has been ligated, which is the normal procedure during neck dissection. If skin sloughing occurs, it is usually inconsequential for intraoral reconstruction because the underlying muscle remains viable and undergoes epithelialization.

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PII: S0278-2391(06)01338-3

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2006.06.296

Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 65, Issue 5 , Pages 895-900, May 2007

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