The pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap was once considered the workhorse flap
for head and neck reconstruction, but due to the proliferation of free tissue transfer,
it has rightly taken on a secondary role. For certain head and neck patients, however,
the pectoralis major flap remains the last-line treatment, and the only salvage option
in do or die scenarios. For the subset of these patients who require a skin island,
reliability of the cutaneous territory is essential. Unfortunately, the skin island
to the pectoralis flap is notoriously unreliable, in spite of multiple skin territories
having been trialed.
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References
- Complications of the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in head and neck reconstruction.Am J Surg. 1990; 160: 352-355
- Analysis of complications in 168 pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps used for head and neck reconstruction.Ann Plast Surg. 1990; 25: 93-97
- A method that preserves circulation during preparation of the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in head and neck reconstruction.Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998; 102: 2336-2345
- Three-dimensional anatomical vascular distribution in the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap.Plast Reconstr Surg. 2005; 115 (discussion 1353–1354): 1342-51352
- Pectoralis major musculocutaneous flap with nipple-areola complex in head and neck reconstruction: preliminary results of a new modified method.Ann Plast Surg. 2006; 56: 413-417
Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 20, 2011
Received:
June 21,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
