OBJECTIVE To determine the outcome of microvascular free tissue transfer with or without use of postoperative heparin in terms of flap viability and postoperative complications. STUDY DESIGN Quasi-experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Plastic Surgery, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, from July 2010 to July 2012. METHODOLOGY Thirty eight patients requiring el...

INTRODUCTION Primary microvascular reconstruction of multiple defects is challenging particularly if it has to be simultaneous. In trauma cases, harvesting two independent free flaps from different sites is very time-consuming and adds to morbidity. To eliminate these disadvantages, we sought to find out a reliable alternative method of harvesting two independent free flaps based on the descend...

The objective of this study was to introduce various spreader flap technique modifications to adjust the width of the middle nasal vault in patients who underwent rhinoplasties with humpectomy. Decisive modifications of current spreader flap techniques were performed to allow a more natural restoration of the middle nasal vault and the internal nasal valve after humpectomy. Additional steps pro...

BACKGROUND The reconstruction of ankle and heel defects remains a significant problem for plastic surgeons. The following options exist for reconstructing such defects: local random flaps, reverse flow island flaps, and free flaps. However, each of these methods has certain drawbacks. Peroneal artery perforators have many advantages; in particular, they are predictable and reliable for ankle an...

Recent advances in wearable recording technology have enabled high-quality video recording of several surgical procedures from the surgeon's perspective. However, the available wearable cameras are not optimal for recording the harvesting of perforator flaps because they are too heavy and cannot be attached to the surgical loupe. The Ecous is a small high-resolution camera that was specially de...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the dynamic change of CD34 level during the survival process of narrow pedicle flaps. METHODS Twenty-five white pigs were randomly and equally divided into 5 experimental groups. Five different type of narrow pedicle with different length-to-width ratio were employed, and each type of narrow pedicle was covered with 5 different size random flaps and which was classified ...

INTRODUCTION Cover flaps are needed in management of any bodily defect involving bone, tendon, nerve & vessels. The major objective of a plastic surgeon, facing a complex soft-tissue defect, is to replace "like with like" tissues at minimal donor site "cost" and with maximal accuracy & efficacy. AIMS To study the "Propeller Flaps" utility in reconstructive surgeries, evaluate its planning and...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Perforator flaps increasingly find acceptance and use in hand reconstructive surgery. A propeller flap is an island flap that moves from one orientation to another by rotating around its vascular pedicle. It is now possible to design propeller flaps based on a single perforator, so-called "perforator-based propeller flaps," but they are more prone to vascular impairment when...

BACKGROUND Perforator flaps represent the latest in the evolution of soft-tissue flaps. They allow the transfer of the patient's own skin and fat in a reliable manner, with minimal donor-site morbidity. The powerful perforator flap concept allows transfer of tissue from numerous, well-described donor sites to almost any distant site with suitable recipient vessels. Large-volume flaps can be sup...

Background: Breast reconstruction by using the rectus abdominis muscle (transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous, TRAM) flaps is a common procedure that has been per­ formed since the 1990s. Ipsilateral TRAM flaps were proven to be as safe as contralateral flaps for breast reconstruction. However, studies comparing the aesthetic outcomes of the two procedures are poorly described in the literat...