title: Infrahyoid myocutaneous flap reconstruction after wide local excision of a Merkel cell carcinoma.
abstract: The case is presented of an 8 1-year-old female coming to our observation after two non radical local excisions of a Merkel cell carcinoma of the sub-mental skin region. After a wide local excision, with en bloc elective bilateral neck dissection, simultaneous reconstruction with an infra-hyoid myocutaneous flap was performed. A brief overview concerning this rare tumour is presented and the surgical technique of the reconstructive procedure is described in detail. The infra-hyoid myocutaneous flap represents a reliable flap, easy and quick to prepare, limiting the time of surgery. The donor site can be primary closed avoiding skin grafting or scars beyond the head and neck area with no significant cosmetic or functional sequelae in the donor area. In this elderly patient, reconstruction with an infra-hyoid myocutaneous flap appears to have been the best option for closing the surgical defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VU Medical Center of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deganello
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Bree
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolivet
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Leemans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps