Expanded pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps in head and neck surgery

The use of tissue expanders in head and neck surgery has been popularized since the early 1980s. Tissue expanders are currently used in nasal reconstruction, alopecia, and other head and neck defects when there is inadequate tissue or when transposition of a local flap would create a significant donor-site deformity. Occasionally, situations in head and neck reconstruction arise where local, regional, or free flaps are not available or sufficient for head and neck reconstruction. In these situations, the use of controlled tissue expansion can be employed for enlarging myocutaneous flaps for head and neck reconstructive surgery. Two cases illustrated here present the principles and techniques of this means of reconstruction.