title: The submental island flap: a new donor site. Anatomy and clinical applications as a free or pedicled flap.
abstract: This paper describes the use of a new island flap based on the submental artery. Previously described cervical flaps have inherent problems ranging from limited mobility to unacceptable donor-site scars, to unpredictable outcomes. The flap design and technique were studied on 20 fresh cadavers and 8 patients who underwent radical neck dissections. The flap was then used successfully for reconstruction of orofacial defects in 8 patients. The flap has a long (up to 8 cm), reliable pedicle, and cutaneous dimensions can reach up to 7 x 18 cm. It can be used as a cutaneous, musculofascial (cervicofascial and platysma), or osteocutaneous flap. This flap has an excellent skin color match and a wide arc of rotation, and can extend to the whole homolateral face, except for a part of the forehead and the whole oral cavity. The anatomy, the technique, and clinical experiences are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Hôpital du Tondu, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pascal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baudet
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mondie
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athoum
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Gaillard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002680:Chin / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*