[Basic techniques of flap formation and their application (author's transl)]

The different type of soft tissue defect in the face can be rehabilitated by means of classical local flaps, either by advancement, rotation or transposition. The excellent blood supply of the face permits of create a flap by its length which may extended up to 5 times of its diameter, and secondarily, may be turned up to an angle of 180 degree (median forehead flap). Typical donar areas besides the forehead are the nasolabial and submandibular area with the advantage of closure in correlation to the skin tension lines. By using a flap and transposing to the neighbourhood disfigurement of natural apertura, like mouth, nose and eyes, can be eadily avoided. Typical smaller and larger defects are demonstrated on patients following excisional tumor surgery in the forehead, naso-frontal-orbital angle, at the nose, the naso-labial-buccal region. Different ways of flap rehabilitation are analyzed for te same or similar type of defect, which is followed by the surgical and functional end-result. Attention is paid to the W-plasty, whereby a rhomboid defect is created and which can be eliminated with additional W-type incision lines. The results are excellent. Combinations of different types of flaps are possible, when f.e. a total loss of the upper lip and a most subtotal loss of the nose is present.