A Systematic Approach For Improvement of The Donor Sites of Fasciocutaneous Flaps.

Publication/Presentation Date

9-1-1999

Abstract

Fasciocutaneous flaps as a group have been maligned more often for fear of potential donor-site morbidity than any concern for reliability. Typically, this is related to limitations imposed by the skin graft necessary to close most such donor sites, as admittedly has been required for the majority (52 percent) of our 313 flaps over the past 2 decades. Nevertheless, 48 percent did not require skin grafts, reflecting the adoption of strategies that evolved to minimize this shortcoming. These included use of fascia-only flaps, primary closure with small composite flaps, direct closure possible by use of rotation or advancement flaps or a second flap, or a delayed closure utilizing either pretransfer or posttransfer tissue expansion. Donor-site complications were actually fewest when a skin graft or primary closure was possible and occurred at the same rate regardless of body region. However, because the skin-grafted donor site was always a cosmetic compromise, a systematic approach to circumvent its use whenever possible is emphasized as a valuable tool to enhance the role of fasciocutaneous flaps as a vascularized flap alternative.

Volume

104

Issue

4

First Page

993

Last Page

998

ISSN

0032-1052

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Medical Specialties | Surgery

PubMedID

10654738

Department(s)

Department of Surgery, Department of Surgery Faculty

Document Type

Article

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