A bipedicle flap in the correction of burn contractures

The principle of the bipedicle flap has been employed in the correction of contractures using some of the skin and scar at the site of the contracture. The contracture is released by making two parallel transverse incisions one above and the other below outlining a bipedicle flap at the level of the joint crease. The scar above and below this transverse pedicle is excised to release the contracture and the raw areas are skin grafted. This manoeuvre combines the advantages of a flap (in the critical area) with those of skin grafting. With proper care and planning the "flap" invariably survives. It has been employed in the release of 38 contractures of various joints.