[Combined plastic repair in head and neck tumors]

Combinations of arterialized flaps with other grafts have to be used for repair of extensive perforating defects caused by removal of local disseminated malignant tumors of the head and neck. A total of 635 plastic surgeries were carried out during the latest 15 years at Department for Tumors of the Upper Respiratory Tract, Cancer Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Of these, combined plasty was carried out in 79 cases; in 28 patients the tumor was localized in the median area of the face, in 37 in the lower part, and in 14 on the neck. Primary combined plasty was carried out in 41 patients, delayed repair in 38. Musculocutaneous flaps were used in 42 cases, fatty-cutaneous ones in 37. A working schematic classification of variants of primary and delayed combined plasty in patients operated on for tumors of the head and neck has been developed.