[Platysma myocutaneous island flap reconstruction after excision of a tongue-tongue base tumor].

The authors' aim was to introduce a simple, safe and reliable method for reconstruction of soft tissue defects after excision of carcinomas of the tongue, tongue base and posterior part of the floor of the mouth. The musculocutaneous flaps are options of larger soft tissue defects in the maxillofacial area. After excision of a tongue-tongue base tumour with mandibular splitting method a platysma myocutaneous flap was applied for reconstruction. The flap was taken from an appropriate place convenient to functional acceptions and was adapted anatomically into the defect. The result was that the patient healed primarily with undisturbed blood circulation of the flap. The functional rehabilitation period was short, the flap tolerated the irradiation. The authors observed that the use of the platysma island flap can be an option for reconstruction of defects after ablative surgery on the tongue-tongue base. This simple method worked reliable even after intra-arterial cytostatic treatment. The acceptable functional result depends on the placement of the island flap on the neck flap prepared for neck dissection.