title: Posterolateral cervical vein as a recipient vein in reconstructive microvascular surgery of the head and neck.
abstract: Free flaps are becoming the preferred method of choice for head and neck reconstruction. However, many patients who have undergone radiotherapy and radical neck dissection or who require treatment for recurrent tumor, often present difficulty in choosing recipient vessels. The authors have noted a potential recipient vein coursing vertically along the anterior ridge of the trapezius muscle. They used this vein as the recipient vein in two patients; the two free flaps were transferred successfully without complications. This vein, which they provisionally named the posterolateral cervical vein (PLCV), is considered an important option as a recipient vein in head and neck reconstruction when more commonly used recipient cervical veins are unavailable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunjiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Yuzuru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Masakathu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torii
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D005927:Glossectomy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000098:blood supply*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013350:Subclavian Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery