[Reconstruction of the mentum in the surgical management of cervical scar contracture].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of the reconstruction of the mentum with cervical tissue flaps in the surgical management of postburn cervical scar contracture.


METHODS
Thirteen postburn patients with severe cervical scar contracture and mental deformity were enrolled in the study. The platysma flap (3 cases), scar tissue flap (6 cases) and cervical deep fascia tissue flap (3 cases), with the pedicle containing the facial and the superior thyroidal artery, were turned upwards to replenish mental soft tissue, and to form new mentum and sulcus mentolabialis. The cervical scars were repaired with expanded flap (11 cases), free flap (1 case) or trapezius muscular flap.


RESULTS
The post-operative cervical configuration was found to be good, and the tissue flaps for mental reconstruction healed satisfactorily. Ten patients were followed-up for 6 to 24 months. All flaps were successful and achieved good results, except that scar formation was found in the cervical linear incision in 4 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Transfer of the platysma flaps, scar tissue flaps, or deep cervical fascial flaps for the reconstruction of cervical scar were simple and effective. The use of cervical scar tissue flaps could not only loose the constructed scar, but also beneficial in rectifying the configuration of the chin.
Li
Yang-qun
YQ
Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100041, P.R. China.
Tang
Yong
Y
Zhou
Chuan-de
CD
Yang
Ming-yong
MY
Li
Sen-kai
SK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications; D002680:Chin / Q000601:surgery*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003286:Contracture / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult