The vascular supply of the cervical skin with reference to incision planning.

Wound breakdown, especially following preoperative radiotherapy, is a complication following neck surgery. The anatomy of the blood supply of the neck skin, which is an important factor in neck incision planning, was determined by silicone rubber injection studies. Some of the more common incisions interrupt the cervical blood supply, which descends from the facial and occipital arteries and ascends from the transverse cervical and suprascapular arteries, and this is discussed in relation to wound breakdown.