[276 cases of horizontal infrahyoid myocutaneous flap].
BACKGROUND
The infrahyoid myocutaneous flap was described by Wang et al. in 1986. The horizontal design of the skin paddle is a modification of this technique allowing for a smaller scar. We have been systematically using this modified technique for 10 years. We had for aim to describe the interest of the horizontal infrahyoid myocutaneous flap for cervicofacial carcinology.


METHODS
A horizontal infrahyoid myocutaneous flap procedure was performed in 276 cervicofacial carcinology patients for lesions of the mouth floor, the mandibular gum, the oropharynx and the tongue between March 1997 and March 2007.


RESULTS
No complications were observed in 252 patients. No patient presented with total flap necrosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Modifying the infrahyoid myocutaneous flap technique with a horizontal design of the skin paddle does not modify the reliability of the flap and prevents more extensive scars. The main indications of this technique are defects of the mouth floor, the tongue and the oropharynx.
Ricard
A-S
AS
Service de chirurgie maxillofaciale, CHU de Bordeaux, France. anne-sophie.ricard@chu-bordeaux.fr
Laurentjoye
M
M
Faucher
A
A
Zwetyenga
N
N
Siberchicot
F
F
Majoufre-Lefebvre
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005887:Gingival Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D006085:Graft Survival; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000637:transplantation*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology