The transverse platysma myocutaneous flap for head and neck reconstruction.

This paper reports the platysma myocutaneous flap that has been modified to be directed transversely across the midportion of the neck, with its blood supply from the posterior cervical triangle. Seven flaps have been used to reconstruct wounds of the ear, cheek, and lips in six patients. One flap had a partial skin paddle loss when the flap was harvested from the neck of a patient who had had two previous surgical wounds to the neck and may represent an alteration of the blood supply secondary to surgical scarring. The remaining six flaps were robust, and all healed without complications.