Wound closure at the trunk by microvascular free flap transfer

Defects of the thoracic or abdominal wall can be congenital or caused by trauma or tumour resection. There may be other problems, such as infection and irradiation effects. In most cases those defects can be closed by local cutaneous and fasciocutaneous or by muscle and myocutaneous flaps. In some rare instances, the use of pedicled flaps may be limited. The size of the defect, the impossibility of closing the donor site, an impaired blood supply, or poor quality of local tissues represent such limitations. In these cases microvascular flap transfer has enlarged our choice of alternative methods. Advantages of this method are the one-stage procedure and the wound coverage by well-vascularized tissue. This is especially beneficial in areas of infected or irradiated tissue. On the other hand microvascular flap transfer requires high technical skill and extensive perioperative and postoperative care.