Supraclavicular artery island flap – an additional option for the reconstruction of head and neck defects
Abstract
There are many options for reconstruction of defects after head and neck oncological surgery. Among them, the free fasciocutaneous radial flap, the free anterolateral thigh flap and the pedicled myocutaneous pectoralis major flap are the most commonly implemented ones.
The fasciocutaneous supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIF) is a versatile flap harvested from the supraclavicular and shoulder area. It is based on the supraclavicular artery branching off the transverse cervical artery. The origin of the supraclavicular artery is located within the triangle bounded by the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the clavicle and the external jugular vein. Due to its length of 26 cm, the width of 6–7 cm and the arc of rotation, the SCAIF is suitable for reconstruction of various defects of the head and neck, such as lateral defects of the skin, the parotid and in exceptional cases temporal region. On the other hand, it is also appropriate for reconstructing the mucosal defects of the oral cavity, pharynx and oesophagus, and also for postoperative fistula treatment.
We describe a case of locally advanced carcinoma of the external auricular canal and a case of an extensive metastasis in the parotid gland in which we used the SCAIF for reconstruction.
The SCAIF harvesting is surgically straightforward and fast. The SCAIF is reliable, and safe, has few complications, and yields a good functional and cosmetic outcome. It is widely useful for reconstructing various soft tissue defects of the head and neck.
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References
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