Surgical techniques and results of lateral thoracic cutaneous, myocutaneous, and conjoint flaps for head and neck reconstruction.
BACKGROUND
This paper aims at presentation of our surgical techniques and results of the lateral thoracic (LT) flaps for head and neck reconstructions.


METHODS
There were seven LT cutaneous, seven LT myocutaneous, and two LT conjoint myocutaneous flaps for reconstruction of head and neck mucosal or cutaneous defects.


RESULTS
The largest flap size was 22 cm x 13 cm. All donor sites were closed primarily. The highest point of reconstruction was in the nasopharynx internally and zygoma externally. All flaps survived without major complication.


CONCLUSIONS
The LT flap has the versatility of cutaneous, myocutaneous, and conjoint flaps with pectoralis major or latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps to reconstruct large surgical defects. It has a large, reliable surface area, a long pedicle to reach nasopharynx and zygoma, and has less bulky muscle to facilitate tubular reconstruction of circumferential pharyngeal defect, one-stage operation, esthetic hidden donor site scar in axillary region, and minimal donor site morbidity. It is an additional reliable pedicle flap in our armamentarium for reconstruction of both cutaneous and mucosal defects in the head and neck region.
Yuen
Anthony Po-Wing
AP
Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, China. pwyuen@hkucc.hku.hk
Ng
Raymond Wai-Man
RW
D000368:Aged; D004954:Esthetics; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000601:surgery; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000637:transplantation; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods