Total mandibular and lower lip reconstruction with a prefabricated osteocutaneous free flap

Large, complex bony defects can be a vexing problem for the reconstructive surgeon, especially when standard donor sites are not available or do not provide sufficient tissue. Using the concept of flap prefabrication, we demonstrated in a single patient that (1) iliac crest bone chips and bone morphogenic protein in an alloplastic mandibular tray can ossify in a heterotopic location and (2) neovascularization sufficient to support a large, custom-designed bone graft occurs within a convenient "carrier" flap. Ultimately, the fields of angiogenesis and osteogenesis research could significantly contribute to the ability of the plastic surgeon to construct the "ideal" composite prefabricated flap for complicated reconstruction.