BACKGROUND "Superthin flap" is a distinctively thin flap that is thinned primarily to the point that the subdermal vascular network can be seen through a minimal fat layer. Reconstruction of severely disfigured neck and face can be performed using the occipito-cervico-dorsal superthin flap that is harvested from the dorsal region and supercharged by the circumflex scapular vessels. We used bipe...

BACKGROUND There is a dearth of detailed published work on the anatomy of ulnar artery perforators. The objective of this study was to fully document the vascular basis of the free proximal ulnar artery perforator flap and report its use in reconstruction of the hand. METHODS (1) The ulnar artery perforators were studied in 25 fresh cadavers and 10 cast preparations. Cadavers were injected wi...

BACKGROUND Soft tissue defects in the distal lower extremity present a formidable challenge due to the lack of reliable local flap options. Pedicled adipofasciocutaneous flaps provide the closest match to local tissues, but random pattern flaps are limited in reliability, size, reach, and arc-of-rotation. One hundred and eighty degree perforator-based propeller flaps are an innovative option be...

The endoscopy-assisted technique has been demonstrated in harvesting muscle flaps; however, for pedicled freestyle fasciocutaneous flaps, few studies have applied this technique. We present a surgical procedure utilizing endoscopic-assisted method to identify the perforators of pedicled freestyle fasciocutaneous flaps for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects. From August to December 2012, ...

IntroductIon: Unstable keloids are one of the most frustrating clinical problems in wound healing and the pathogeneses remains largely unknown. To date, little is known in the literature about the microsurgical management of unstable and middle-sized keloids on the trunk, and a clear consensus is lacking. Perforator flaps are thin and pliable, have a robust blood supply, potentially release the...

BACKGROUND Consistent septocutaneous perforators exist between the gluteus maximus and medius muscles. The existence of these septocutaneous perforators obviates the need for any intramuscular dissection when elevating a gluteal artery perforator flap. In this study, the authors present their experience with the septocutaneous gluteal artery perforator (sc-GAP) flap for microsurgical breast rec...

BACKGROUND The aim of this investigation was to systematically review the current literature to provide the best data for indications, outcomes, survival, and complication rates of pedicled propeller perforator flaps for upper body defects. METHODS A comprehensive literature review for articles published from January 1991 to December 2011 was performed using the PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane ...

Preoperative imaging is essential for abdominal perforator flap breast reconstruction because it allows for preoperative perforator selection, resulting in improved operative efficiency and flap design. The benefits of visualizing the vasculature preoperatively also extend to gluteal artery perforator flaps. Initially, our practice used computed tomography angiography (CTA) to image the gluteal...

BACKGROUND Lower limb ulcers are a major source of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Surgical coverage of these wounds is fraught with a high complication rate. Although clinically perforator flaps lead to good results in diabetic patients, there is little experimental data to support this finding. METHODS A total of 60 Wistar rats were randomly assigned either to the diabetic (n ...

Multiple, simultaneous skin cancers of the face are common. This is the first description of reconstructing discontinuous facial defects (i.e., separate sites of the face) with simultaneous ulnar perforator flaps. The distinct innovations of this multiple flap design are the ability to restrict the harvest site to one extremity, to obtain vein and arterial grafts from the same extremity, and to...