Immediate vaginal reconstruction following resection for malignancy using the gluteal thigh flap

Immediate flap closure of perineal defects following extirpative procedures for gynecologic malignancies is highly desirable. Advantages include more rapid healing, reduced infection rate, decreased nutritional demands, early rehabilitation, greater safety in radiated fields, and more functional results. The posterior thigh flap, deriving its blood supply from the inferior gluteal artery, was used in 7 patients (9 flaps) with excellent results. The flap has proven reliable and quite feasible at the time of resection. While most partial pelvic or vaginal defects can be reconstructed with a single flap, bilateral flaps are recommended for more extensive defects. The major postoperative problem has been discomfort while sitting and paresthesias along the distribution of the posterior cutaneous nerve. To avoid these problems, the flap should be rotated distal to the ischium and, in subtotal reconstruction, the nerve excluded.