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Lower island trapezius myocutaneous flap reconstruction of a large neck defect in an infant
Anish Parekh1, Mark Vecchiotti, Miriam O'Leary
1Divisions of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Head and Neck Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center - Floating Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States. anish.parekh@gmail.com
Insights
Reconstructing large neck defects in infants using a lower trapezius myocutaneous flap provides reliable tissue transfer. This technique effectively covers critical structures and minimizes scar contracture in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery
Background:
- Free tissue transfer is established for infant reconstruction.
- Data on regional myocutaneous flaps for large pediatric neck defects is limited.
Abstract:
Free tissues transfer has been well-described in infants but there is limited data on techniques for reconstruction of large neck defects with regional myocutaneous flaps in this population. We report on the use of a lower island trapezius myocutaneous flap to reconstruct a large posterior neck and occiput wound in an 18-month-old child. The use of a regional myocutaneous flap allowed for reliable transfer of a relatively large volume of skin and soft tissue, providing coverage of the internal jugular vein and spinal accessory nerve as well as limiting the likelihood of debilitating scar contracture.
