Oral Presentation NZAPS and ANZSOPS Joint Scientific Meeting

Use of Supraclavicular flaps in Head & Neck Reconstruction – Our early experience (636)

Robert Calvisi 1 , Raja Sawhney 1
  1. Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, QLD, Australia

We present a case series of Supraclavicular flaps used at Gold Coast University Hospital after Head & Neck cancer extirpative surgery. The indications include Parotidectomy defects, recurrence in an irradiated neck and large posterior neck defects. We have harvested flaps up to 10x14cm representing size advantage over some of the fasciocutaneous distant flap options. All donor sites were closed primarily. We undertook an up to date literature search which discuss further indications including floor of mouth reconstruction. Reach and size can be further extended in this flap by a delay procedure.

In our experience, the advantages of this flap are it’s colour match, ease speed of dissection for use in co-morbid patients and relative reliability. Disadvantages include thin fascia such that in radical parotid defects separate fascia lata slings are required for static reanimation in contrast to a free Anterolateral thigh flap which is our preferred option in these defects involving skin. Other considerations include previous level V neck dissection or use at time of level V neck dissection with respect to oncologic safety.