title: The inferior trapezius musculocutaneous flap in head and neck reconstruction.
abstract: The trapezius musculocutaneous flap based on the descending branch of the transverse cervical vessels has been used to reconstruct a variety of large and complex defects in the head and neck region. Forty-three flaps were performed in 41 patients over a period of 26 months. Excellent reconstruction was achieved in 37 patients. Six total and nine partial flap failures were noted. There were 8 deaths during this time, 2 attributable directly to flap failure. Patient positioning during surgery and the tedious dissection are disadvantageous. The advantages of this flap are its thinness, long reach, and a posterior donor defect. These attributes are ideally suited for certain complex reconstructive endeavors in the head and neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chandrasekhar
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Terz
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Kokal
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Beatty
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014945:Wound Healing