Prefabricated Expanded Flap Combined With Expanded Scalp Flap for Total Face Resurfacing

Area of Science:

• Reconstructive surgery
• Craniofacial surgery
• Tissue engineering

Background:

• Total facial defects pose significant reconstructive challenges.
• Current methods like allotransplantation and autotransplantation have limitations including donor scarcity, immunosuppression, and scarring.
• Existing prefabricated flaps face issues with blood supply and flap size.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel surgical approach for total facial reconstruction.
• To address the limitations of current reconstructive techniques for extensive facial injuries.
• To present a simple, feasible, and effective method for total face resurfacing.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a prefabricated expanded thoracic flap combined with an expanded scalp flap (combined flaps).
• This approach aimed to overcome blood supply and volume limitations of previous methods.
• The technique focused on reducing patchwork scarring associated with autotransplantation.

Main Results:

• The combined flaps approach effectively addresses limitations in blood supply and expanded volume.
• This method significantly reduces the patchwork scarring often seen with multiple autogenous grafts.
• The technique offers a simpler and more feasible alternative for total face resurfacing.

Conclusions:

• The combined prefabricated expanded thoracic and scalp flap technique is a simple, feasible, and effective method for total facial reconstruction.
• This approach overcomes key limitations of existing reconstructive strategies for total face defects.
• It offers improved outcomes with reduced scarring and enhanced tissue viability.