A new technique of scarless expanded forehead flap for reconstructive surgery

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
• Tissue Expansion

Background:

• Forehead flaps are valuable for facial and neck reconstruction.
• Visible donor site scarring limits the use of traditional forehead flaps, even with tissue expansion.
• Existing techniques often result in significant aesthetic compromise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new forehead flap technique combined with tissue expansion.
• To achieve reconstructive surgery without visible scarring at the donor site.
• To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and aesthetic outcomes of this modified forehead flap.

Main Methods:

• Tissue expander placed under the occipitofrontal muscle, inflated over 4-6 weeks.
• Expanded forehead flap created based on superficial temporal vessels.
• Flap transferred as island, free, or local random flap in 13 patients.

Main Results:

• 16 recipient sites reconstructed with no visible donor site scarring.
• Flaps up to 8 x 18 cm were successfully transferred without necrosis.
• All 13 patients achieved acceptable donor-site aesthetic results.

Conclusions:

• The modified forehead flap technique offers a safe and ample option for facial and neck reconstruction.
• This method significantly minimizes donor site morbidity and eliminates visible scarring.
• The flap can be customized as a free flap for versatile reconstruction anywhere on the body.