Scalp Free Flap Reconstruction Using Anterolateral Thigh Flap Pedicle for Interposition Artery and Vein Grafts.
- Author:
Jun Hyung PARK
1
;
Kyung Hee MIN
;
Suk Chan EUN
;
Jong Hoon LEE
;
Sung Hee HONG
;
Chin Whan KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: Scalp; Free tissue flaps; Vascular grafting
- MeSH: Arteries; Femoral Artery; Free Tissue Flaps; Glycosaminoglycans; Head; Hematoma, Subdural; Humans; Middle Aged; Neck; Scalp; Skin; Skull; Thigh; Transplants; Vascular Grafting; Veins
- From:Archives of Plastic Surgery 2012;39(1):55-58
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: We experienced satisfactory outcomes by synchronously transplanting an artery and vein using an anterolateral thigh flap pedicle between the vascular pedicle and recipient vessel of a flap for scalp reconstruction. A 45-year-old man developed a subdural hemorrhage due to a fall injury. In this patient, the right temporal cranium was missing and the patient had 4x3 cm and 6x5 cm scalp defects. We planned a scalp reconstruction using a latissimus dorsi free flap. Intraoperatively, there was a severe injury to the right superficial temporal vessel because of previous neurosurgical operations. A 15 cm long pedicle defect was needed to reach the recipient facial vessels. For the vascular graft, the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and two venae comitantes were harvested. The flap survived well and the skin graft was successful with no notable complications. When an interposition graft is needed in the reconstruction of the head and neck region for which mobility is mandatory to a greater extent, a sufficient length of graft from an anterolateral flap pedicle could easily be harvested. Thus, this could contribute to not only resolving the disadvantages of a venous graft but also to successfully performing a vascular anastomosis.
