[The use of the temporal muscle for closing postoperative wounds]

The correct use of the musculus temporalis may close rather extensive defects of the base of the skull, yielding good functional and cosmetic results. For plastic purposes, the following types of a graft of the musculus temporalis are applied: 1) a simple interpolated graft; 2) a split-thickness interpolated graft; and 3) a free graft (by crossing the tendon of the musculus temporalis, which allows the muscle to be additionally displaced) for closure of defects after removal of tumors from the socket, maxillary, sphenoidal sinuses, infratemporal fossa, the bases of the middle cranial fossa, for plastic repair of the hard palate, for closure a defect after transpyramidal access (mastoidectomy) and for the treatment of ankylosis of the mandibular joint. Axial grafts may be used to repair the scalp and supercilia.