Supraclavicular Flap Reconstruction in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery

Free flaps have been considered as the gold standard for reconstruction of head and neck region after ablative oncologic surgery. However, the reconstructive surgeon's armamentarium should also involve pedicled flaps for certain situations such as patients having comorbid diseases necessiating shorter duration of surgical procedure. The supraclavicular flap is a pedicled thin fasciacutaneous flap used to reconstruct the defects in head and neck area. The flap has advantages of wide rotation of arc, easy matching with skin color of recipient area and relatively shorter flap harvesting time. Its bloods supply depends on supraclavicular artery which is a branch of transverse cervical artery. Between August 2016 and September 2019, the pedicled supraclavicular flap was used to reconstruct 17 head and neck cancers patients after ablative oncologic surgery. In 15 patients this flap was primary choice and in 2 patients it was used as a salvage reconstructive tool. Two of 17 flaps had very distal partial necrosis. There was no total loss of any flap. Flap harvesting time was always less than 1 hour. Mean duration for drainage tube removal at the donor side was 5 days. Functional outcomes were perfect. In our suggestion pedicled supraclavicular flap is a very good alternative option to free flap reconstruction especially for skin and oral cavity defects.