Clinical review of three types of platysma myocutaneous flap.

This study evaluated the survival rates of three types of platysma myocutaneous flap: transverse flap, vertical flap that preserved the facial artery and vein and vertical flap that sacrificed the facial artery and vein. Modified radical or supraomohyoid neck dissection was also performed in all patients. Out of 54 patients, transverse and vertical flaps were used for 12 and 42 cases, respectively. In 42 cases of vertical flaps, 26 cases preserved the facial artery and vein, 16 cases sacrificed them. Ten cases of the transverse flaps survived and two cases had partial necrosis. In the 26 cases of vertical flaps that preserved the facial artery and vein, 23 cases survived and three cases had partial necrosis. With the 16 cases of vertical flaps that sacrificed the facial artery and vein, 10 cases survived, four cases had partial necrosis and two cases had total necrosis. The flap survival rates were 83.3, 88.5 and 62.5%, respectively, in the transverse, vertical flap preserving the facial vessels and vertical flap that sacrificed them. The survival rates of transverse and vertical platysma myocutaneous flaps preserving the facial artery and vein were higher than vertical flap that sacrificed the facial artery and vein.