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Flaps
The use of flap technique in reconstructive surgery is typically used to repair tissue in a poor vascular situation. Flaps are used to reconstruct defects in the eyelids, lips, ears, and cheeks. Flaps can also be used to restore specific structures on bones and for wound repair.
Skin flaps
What are the skin flaps?
A flap is a piece of subcutaneous tissue and skin that is transplanted from one area of the body to another. This flap contains blood vessels, skin, subcutaneous tissue and muscle. In the skin flap, tissue is transferred maintaining its original vascular pedicle. The tissue is left attached to the donor site and simply transposed to a new location keeping the “pedicle” intact as a conduit to supply the tissue with blood.
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The flap technique in reconstruction surgery may be used to cover large or visible soft tissue defects on the mouth, jaw, or neck due to cancer or other conditions. There are different flap techniques that can be used to reconstruct the affected tissues. Different reconstructive surgery procedures are used for repositioning tissues, and each one has advantages and disadvantages. Flap reconstruction requires the following:
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Flap has to be in the adjacent area to cover the defect. |
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Flap has to be sufficiently large to cover the defect. |
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Skin color, texture, thickness and surrounding contours must be considered. |
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General skin condition must be analyzed, especially if it has received previous radiation therapy or suffered from trauma. |
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During the planning stage, the surgeon must consider the degree of flap´s elasticity, mobility, and blood supply. |
Postoperative characteristics of flaps
Color and texture
When planned and executed properly, skin flaps allow rapid reconstruction with an adequate and good skin color and texture match. Appearance and stability of flaps from head and neck region are the most appropriate to replace the skin of the face.
Volume
A precise estimate of the volume of the flap is necessary to achieve the desired outcome.
Hair growth and sebaceous secretion
Transferred flaps maintain the same characteristics of the skin and tissue from the donor site, such as quality of hair growth and sebaceous secretion.
Sensitivity and functioning of the sebaceous glands
Once the flap is transferred, sensitivity and functioning of the sebaceous glands may change. But this condition improves in time.
Durability
Flaps with sufficient overlying fat may provide long-lasting coverage to cushion the bone prominences.
Growth
Gradually the flap will develop and expand proportionally to body growth.
Will I require hospitalization? What kind of anesthesia is used?
How long will the procedure take?
This procedure usually does not require hospitalization and may be performed using general or local anesthesia. It may take 2-4 hours.
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