Internal mammary artery perforator flap for head and neck reconstruction

• Published in: ANZ journal of surgery Vol. 79; no. 11; pp. 799 - 803
• Main Authors: Iyer, N. Gopalakrishna, Clark, Jonathan R., Ashford, Bruce G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01.11.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; deltopectoral; Dissection - methods; Head and Neck Neoplasms - surgery; Humans; IMAP; Male; Middle Aged; Neck; Neck Dissection; pedicled flap; Plastic surgery; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures; Skin Neoplasms - surgery; Surgical Flaps - blood supply; Surgical techniques; Tissue and Organ Harvesting; Tracheal Neoplasms - surgery; tracheostome; Tracheostomy
• ISSN: 1445-1433; 1445-2197
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2009.05097.x

Background:  The internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP) flap is a useful modification of the classic deltopectoral flap that has a number of important roles in head and neck reconstruction. Methods and results:  In this report, we describe the technique used to plan and raise the flap and demonstrate its use in three different clinical scenarios. Results and conclusions:  The IMAP flap is a pedicled fasciocutaneous flap that is based on single or multiple internal mammary artery perforators. As such, it provides thin pliable tissue with a wide arc of rotation that is suitable for cutaneous, pharyngeal and tracheostomal reconstruction. Moreover, the flap is well‐vascularised, reliable and the donor site can be closed primarily.