An Elongated Leading Edge Facilitates Rotation Flap Closure: In Vivo Demonstration

Variation in the design of a rotation flap may affect wound closure tension. Lengthening the leading edge of a rotation flap has been a method of reducing the tension of closure in the primary motion. An in vitro study negating this tenant has been published.

The authors set out to design an in vivo experiment to determine if lengthening the leading edge of a rotation flap has the effect of reducing closure tension in the primary motion of the repair.

An animal study approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee was undertaken in a pig model. A tension-measuring apparatus was designed using Teflon-coated wires and digital tensiometers. Rotation flaps of a standard design and with elongated leading edges were incised on the flanks of pigs under general anesthesia. Flap closure tensions were measured at points along the leading edge of the flap and in the secondary motion.

Elongating the leading edge of a flap led to a statistically significant reduction in closure tension in the primary motion of the flap and at the flap tip. The secondary motion closure tensions were essentially unaffected.

The authors confirm that elongating the leading edge of a standard rotation flap will reduce closure tension in the primary flap motion.