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Recycled free septocutaneous perforator flap
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. gh.mun@samsung.com
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|February 19, 2008
Summary
This study demonstrates the successful re-elevation and transfer of a previously used perforator flap. This innovative technique conserves donor sites by recycling tissue for secondary free flap reconstruction.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Microsurgery
Background:
- Sequential free flap transfers require careful donor site management.
- Perforator flaps offer precise control over flap thickness.
- Redundant tissue in previously transferred flaps presents a unique opportunity.
Observation:
- A medial thigh septocutaneous perforator-based flap in the calf was re-elevated two years after its initial transfer.
- The re-elevated flap consisted of a thin subcutaneous layer based on the original perforator pedicle.
- This recycled flap was successfully transferred as a free flap to the anterior tibial region.
Findings:
- A previously transferred perforator flap can serve as a donor site for subsequent free flap reconstruction.
- Tangential splitting allows for the recycling of redundant perforator flaps.
- This method avoids the sacrifice of a new donor site.
Implications:
- Recycling perforator flaps enhances donor site availability in reconstructive surgery.
- This technique offers an alternative for patients requiring multiple flap transfers.
- It expands the utility of perforator flaps in complex reconstructive scenarios.
