Perforator based flap coverage from the anterior and lateral compartment of the leg for medium sized traumatic pretibial soft tissue defects--a simple solution for a complex problem.

Compound fractures involving the leg, exposing the tibia or other poorly vascularised tissues such as tendons still pose a big problem for a reconstructive surgeon and they need early plastic surgical intervention. A prospective study of 10 cases of moderate sized defects in the leg exposing the tibia due to trauma was undertaken between January 2003 and August 2004 with an average follow up of 12 months. Pre-operative identification of the perforator around the wound was meticulously performed using hand held Doppler equipment. Most of the wounds were covered within the first 3-5 days of the injury. All the flaps were raised from the anterior or the lateral compartment of the leg to cover the adjacent tibial bone. Five flaps were raised as proximally based and five flaps were raised as distally based flaps. No flap was raised and advanced in a V-Y fashion. Split skin grafting was required in all cases to cover the secondary raw area created following the flap elevation. All flaps survived and served the purpose. In one case we encountered a deep seated infection resulting in sinus formation needing further debridement in the form of sequestrectomy. In conclusion, the authors believe that the perforator based flap cover described here is simple, safe and a versatile procedure for a trauma surgeon to cover the moderate sized traumatic pre-tibial wounds exposing the bone and the tendons.     

A Case of Postmastectomy Defect Reconstructed Using a Laterothoracic Bilaterally Pedicled V-Y Advancement Flap

BACKGROUND: The reconstruction of major defects of the trunk is generally achieved by means of pedicled or free musculocutaneous flaps, but for less extensive defects, local flaps or skin grafts are currently used. The bilaterally pedicled V-Y advancement flap differs from the traditional V-Y advancement flap and was described for soft tissue reconstruction in the face. In our unit, the bilaterally pedicled V-Y advancement flap is the most used local flap for face reconstruction, and our aim was to use it in a different location. METHODS: In this case report we present a postmastectomy defect reconstructed with good results using the bilaterally pedicled V-Y advancement flap. RESULTS: The flap healed without further problems, and a good aesthetic result was obtained. CONCLUSION: The bilaterally pedicled V-Y advancement flap is reliable and easy to harvest, and not only for face reconstruction. Its versatility and plasticity allow its use for the reconstruction of many defects at varying locations.     

Modified bilateral advancement flap: the slide-in flap.

The bilateral V-Y advancement flaps are used commonly in the closure of circular skin defects. We modified the standard bilateral V-Y advancement flap technique to reduce the tension along the closure, and used it in 10 patients between 1995 and 1997. In the presence of a circular defect, bilateral V-Y advancement flaps were marked on the skin, with the height of the V flaps measuring 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of the defect. The limbs of the V were not drawn as straight lines, but were curved outward slightly, making the flap and its two extensions broader than the standard V-Y flap. The broad extensions of the V flaps encircled the defect from above and below. Skin incisions were made vertically down to the muscle fascia. Additional undermining was carried out to elevate the upper and lower extensions of the V flaps for a distance that equaled the radius of the defect. The upper and lower extensions of the V flap on one side were transposed into the defect and sutured to the concave base of the opposing flap V flap at its midpoint. These extensions were then sutured to each other. The extensions of the opposing V flap were then transposed into the defect; the upper being superior and the lower being inferior to the extensions of the first flap. The rest of the operation was completed by advancement of the V flaps and closure in a Y configuration. The efficient redistribution of available tissue by the combined use of transposition and advancement principles resulted in the repair of relatively large skin defects with reduced tension along the closure. Satisfactory results were obtained in all patients in this series without any surgical complication.     

Nasolabial V-Y Advancement for Closure of the Midface Defects

BACKGROUND: V-Y subcutaneous advancement flaps receive an excellent blood supply from subcutaneous tissue and are ideal for use on the face. Also it is advantageous cosmetically compared to other local flaps. OBJECTIVE: Nasolabial V-Y advancement flaps are very useful in closing defects of the midface region after tumor resection. METHODS: Our experience with nasolabial V-Y flaps in 22 patients is reported. The average defect size was 2.4 cm x 3.2 cm. RESULTS: Minor flap necrosis occurred in one patient and simple lower eyelid ectropion in another. CONCLUSION: Nasolabial V-Y advancement flap is a simple and satisfactory alternative for closing relatively large defects in the midface when compared with other methods such as skin graft and rotation or transposition flaps. It is easy to design, reliable, and offers good cosmetic results.     

Amplified V-Y flaps for nasal defects

Due to a paucity of subcutaneous tissue in the nose, mobilization of some flaps is impeded and large nasal defects are thus difficult to close with traditional V-Y flaps. The V-Y flap is modified by the addition of an amplified limb onto the advancing edge of the V-Y flap. This limb is located adjacent to the area requiring reconstruction and is hinged down on the end of the V-Y flap to close the distal portion of the defect. The amplified V-Y flap, a modified V-Y advancement flap, is very useful for the closure of relatively large defects on the nasal area. We have used this flap for nasal defects as large as 2.5 cm in diameter following excision of skin tumors on the nose in 11 patients. Most excised tumors were basal cell carcinomas. The results have been quite good, with only minor complications in two patients. Complications were encountered only in the nasal tip region, there was partial necrosis at the tip of the amplified portion of the flap. The modifications of the V-Y flap described has extended the application in closing nasal defects. Received: 2 May 1997 / Accepted: 22 July 1997     

Bilateral, extended V-Y advancement flap

A modification of the V-Y advancement flap for the closure of circular skin defects is presented to decrease the tension in the closure and to break the midline vertical scar. Bilateral, extended V-Y advancement flaps with additional limbs extending to the advancing edges of the standard flaps were marked on both sides of the wound. After advancement of the V-Y flaps on their subcutaneous pedicle, the upper and lower extensions were hinged downward as transposition flaps to close the middle portion of the circular defect, where maximum tension occurs. This procedure was applied to 10 patients with sacral and trochanteric pressure sores. No complications or recurrences were noted during the 2 to 10 months of follow-up. Bilateral, extended V-Y advancement flaps enable the reconstruction of large defects without midline tension. Also, the resulting scar where the flaps meet is a zigzag line, so a straight midline scar is avoided.     

Freestyle perforator-based V-Y advancement flap for reconstruction of soft tissue defects at various anatomic regions

BACKGROUND: Perforator flap surgery has gained great popularity in the last decade because surgeons can prepare freestyle flaps in anywhere on the body if they find a perforator supplied to the flap. One of the basic principles of reconstructive surgery is that superior results can be obtained for color and texture match if immediately adjacent soft tissue is used to repair a defect. V-Y advancement flaps are used successfully based on this principle, but the degree of mobility of a V-Y advancement flap is dependent on the laxity of the underlying subcutaneous tissue. This is an important disadvantage of traditional V-Y advancement flap and limits its use. METHODS: We used V-Y advancement flaps as perforator-based to overcome mobility restriction problem. The authors used 26 perforator-based V-Y advancement flaps in 24 consecutive patients for coverage of defects located at sacral (4), thigh (6), abdominal wall (3), inguinal (3), back (4), leg (2), and trochanter (2) regions. There were 14 female and 10 male patients with a mean age of 48.3 years (range, 22-70 years). RESULTS: The patients were followed up for a mean period of 14.2 months (range, 9-21 months). The size of the defects ranged from 3 x 5 cm to 15 x 20 cm. All flaps survived completely (92.4%) except 2 in which one of them had undergone total necrosis and the other had marginal necrosis. Fifteen flaps (57.6%) were elevated based on 2 perforators, 7 flaps (26.9%) were used with only one perforator, and the remaining 4 (15.5%) had 3 perforators. CONCLUSIONS: Perforator-based V-Y advancement flaps are safe and very effective for coverage of defects in which closure is impossible with a standard V-Y advancement flap. Dissection of the perforator or perforators offers remarkable excursion to the V-Y flap with minimal donor site morbidity. These axial pattern flaps can be used successfully with good esthetic and functional results at various regions of the body if there is any detectable perforator.     

"风筝"皮瓣在眼睑前层缺损修复中的应用

目的探讨“风筝”皮瓣(亦称皮下蒂推进皮瓣)在修复眼睑前层(包括皮肤和眼轮匝肌)缺损的应用。方法于缺损邻接部位沿皮纹方向设计“风筝”皮瓣，按设计线切开皮肤，在眼轮匝肌下剥离形成以眼轮匝肌为皮下蒂的“风筝”皮瓣，推进转移修复皮肤缺损，用70无损伤缝线缝合。自1994年以来已用于14例，年龄15～64岁，缺损最大直径为上睑长度的1／3。结果皮瓣全部成活，切口Ⅰ期愈合，随访时间3个月至1年，眼睑形态满意，切口瘢痕不明显。结论对于眼睑前层范围较大不宜直接缝合，但尚有条件用局部皮瓣修复的中等大的缺损，用“风筝”皮瓣进行修复简单易行，效果可靠。其优点是，皮瓣通过推进转移的方式覆盖创面，没有旋转和变形，转移后局部平整，无“猫耳”等畸形产生，皮瓣蒂部宽广，血运良好，愈合后肤色与四周一致。     

The Use of the V-Y Fasciocutaneous Island Advancement Flap in Reconstructing Postsurgical Defects of the Leg

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue cover in the lower limb is difficult due to limited tissue mobility. OBJECTIVE: To present the V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap as an alternative for reconstructing postsurgical defects of the leg. METHODS: Eleven patients with defects on the leg following tumor excision were reconstructed using the V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap. RESULTS: There were no major complications, except for one partial distal flap necrosis in a patient who was a smoker. CONCLUSION: The V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap is a viable alternative for reconstructing surgical defects of the leg.     

V-Y rotation advancement flap: A metanalysis and systematic review

Local skin flaps are used to close defects adjacent to the donor site. They are classified according to their method of movement: flaps that advance from its base to the defect (V-Y, Y-V, single-pedicle, and bipedicle advancement flaps) and flaps that move on a pivot point (rotation, transposition, and interpolation flaps). Despite its frequent use, there is not a unique name for V-Y rotation advancement flap; moreover, there is not a flap class called “rotation advancement” in the textbooks. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using “PubMed” and “Google Scholar” in December 2013. We made different searches using keywords “V-Y-S flap,” “V-Y rotation advancement flap,” and “hatchet flap”. The search was limited to the studies published in English and French. In total, 31 articles were found. Five articles presenting musculocutaneous hatchet flap, were excluded from the review. We included 26 articles in which cutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps were described. We found 12 case series and five case reports presenting “hatchet flap.” Two case series and two case reports about “V-Y-S flap” were reported. Four case series and one case report about “V-Y rotation and advancement flap” were written. V-Y rotation and advancement flap were performed under different names on any regions of the body by several authors, and none of the authors reported flap loss or any dehiscence that resulted with a second surgery. With the help of this review, we would like to standardize its design and its dissection. Level of Evidence: Not ratable.     

Para-alar crescentic subcutaneous pedicle flap for repair of skin defects in the philtrum

Crescentic subcutaneous pedicle flaps prepared on the area lateral to the alar base were designed to cover the skin defects in and around the philtrum. In 1 patient a combination of the lateral lip advancement flap and the crescentic subcutaneous pedicle flap was applied to the skin defect on the lateral lip and philtrum. In another patient, a combination of two crescentic subcutaneous pedicle flaps was applied to the skin defect within the philtrum. Both methods have been successful.     

双V-Y推进皮瓣修复拇指指端缺损的临床应用

目的 介绍双V-Y推进皮瓣修复拇指指端缺损的方法及疗效.方法 对9例拇指指端缺损采用双V-Y推进皮瓣修复,小V-Y推进皮瓣远端与甲床仔细缝合,再缝合带尺侧血管神经束的大V-Y推进皮瓣,覆盖创面.术中切取皮瓣面积为14 mm×25 mm～15 mm×35 mm.供区创面直接闭合.结果 术后9例皮瓣全部存活,创面Ⅰ期愈合.随访时间为4～12个月.皮瓣质地柔软,外形与周围组织接近,无臃肿.拇指末节指腹指纹重新建立,指间关节活动正常,无钩甲畸形,指腹两点分辨觉为5～6 mm.根据中华医学会手外科学会上肢部分功能评定试用标准评定:患指主动活动为优7例,良2例.结论 双V-Y推进皮瓣手术操作简单,是修复拇指指端缺损的理想方法之一.     

New way to raise the V-Y advancement flap for reconstruction of the lower lip: bipedicled orbicularis oris musculocutaneous flap technique

We describe a new way to raise the V-Y advancement flap, which is useful for reconstruction of the lower lip. Various other methods have been reported in the past, but it has been necessary to choose the most suitable method for each particular case. A V-Y advancement flap from the submandibular region is one of the useful techniques to reconstruct the lower lip, and it is suitable for a wide horizontal defect. However, the conventional V-Y flap is insufficiently mobile and the reconstructed vermilion is thin because of the limitation of the pedicle. In such a case, the reconstructed lip may sag or cause an embarrassing defect. We developed a new way to raise the flap to obviate these problems. We use the V-Y advancement flap from the inferior margin of the defect in a conventional way after excision of the tumour, and use a mucosal flap to reconstruct the vermilion border. The skin side of the V-Y flap is undermined, and the orbicularis oris muscles are preserved on both sides as pedicles. The flap is then raised as a bipedicled musculocutaneous flap, which has adequate movement. After the flap has been sutured, the superior margin of the flap is de-epithelialised, and used to create the volume of the vermilion border. Functionally and cosmetically good results were achieved.     

同指尺侧岛状皮瓣远侧V-Y推进修复拇指指端缺损

目的 探讨一种修复拇指指端缺损的手术方法. 方法 对拇指指端缺损的患者采用同指尺侧岛状皮瓣远侧V-Y推进进行修复,术中切取皮瓣范围1.4 cm×2.0 cm～1.4 cm×2.5 cm,供区取前臂全厚皮片移植修复. 结果 2007年3月至2009年10月于临床应用10例,术后所有皮瓣和移植皮片均成活,伤口一期愈合.术后随访6～18个月,皮瓣质地柔软,无明显挛缩,末节指腹指纹重新建立,指间关节活动正常,无钩甲畸形发生,末节指腹两点辨别觉为5～6 mm. 结论 应用同指尺侧岛状皮瓣远侧V-Y推进的方法可以较好地修复拇指指端缺损.     

The Use of Combined Nasolabial V-Y Advancement and Glabellar Flaps for Large Medial Canthal Defects

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of the medial canthal area presents many challenges for surgeons. It has many functional and cosmetic peculiarities. The combined use of glabellar and nasolabial V-Y advancement flaps is an effective method for repairing large medial canthal defects. OBJECTIVE: To describe and illustrate a technique to repair medial canthal defects. METHODS: Our experience with combined usage of nasolabial V-Y flap and glabellar flaps for medial canthal closure after tumor resection in 23 patients is reported. RESULTS: All resections and reconstructive procedures were performed under local anesthesia. All patients were treated without any complications such as flap loss, wound dehiscence, lymphedema, or ectropion. Fine results were achieved from both the functional and aesthetic point of view. CONCLUSION: This combination has many advantages over skin grafts and other local flaps. It is easy to design, reliable, and offers good cosmetic results. This combination is recommended to plastic surgeons as a safe and effective procedure for reconstruction of medial the canthal area.     

New way to raise the V-Y advancement flap for reconstruction of the lower lip: Bipedicled orbicularis oris musculocutaneous flap technique

Abstract

We describe a new way to raise the V-Y advancement flap, which is useful for reconstruction of the lower lip. Various other methods have been reported in the past, but it has been necessary to choose the most suitable method for each particular case. A V-Y advancement flap from the submandibular region is one of the useful techniques to reconstruct the lower lip, and it is suitable for a wide horizontal defect. However, the conventional V-Y flap is insufficiently mobile and the reconstructed vermilion is thin because of the limitation of the pedicle. In such a case, the reconstructed lip may sag or cause an embarrassing defect. We developed a new way to raise the flap to obviate these problems. We use the V-Y advancement flap from the inferior margin of the defect in a conventional way after excision of the tumour, and use a mucosal flap to reconstruct the vermilion border. The skin side of the V-Y flap is undermined, and the orbicularis oris muscles are preserved on both sides as pedicles. The flap is then raised as a bipedicled musculocutaneous flap, which has adequate movement. After the flap has been sutured, the superior margin of the flap is de-epithelialised, and used to create the volume of the vermilion border. Functionally and cosmetically good results were achieved.     

Bilateral modified V-Y advancement flaps for closing meningomyelocele defects

Various reports describe surgical techniques for closing a meningomyelocele defect. We have used a combination flap consisting of a vertical bipedicled flap and V-Y advancement flap and used this technique in the successful repair of 11 meningomyelocele defects. The vertical bipedicled flap enhances the blood supply to the V-Y advancement flap with no sacrifice of muscle tissue. This flap can easily be moved to the midline, and the donor area can be primarily sutured with no complications. Our method has several advantages compared with previously reported methods: 1) no skin grafts are needed; 2) no muscle tissue is killed; 3) it is simple and easy, leading to less blood loss and minimal operative time; and 4) it is safe and produces reliable results while eliminating wound dehiscence and skin necrosis.     

A modification of the V-Y advancement flap to cover a defect of the outer canthus and both eyelids

We describe the use of a modified V-Y advancement flap from the lateral aspect of the outer canthus to cover a defect with three components on the lateral aspects of the upper and lower eyelids and the outer canthus of the eye.     

Lower back defect coverage using a free-style gluteal perforator flap

Lower back defects remain a major challenge for reconstructive surgeons. Advances in perforator flap techniques now make it possible to repair lower back defects using a gluteal perforator flap based on the free-style flap design. We used a free-style gluteal perforator flap in 10 patients with lower back defects due to skin cancer treatment (6 patients) or infection following spine surgery (4 patients). V-Y advancement flaps were used for defects <6 cm in length, and rotation flaps for defects >6 cm. Perforators were detected at the upper parasacral area, and the flap design was drawn on the skin of the upper gluteal region. Coverage was successful and donor sites were closed primarily in all cases. There were 4 complicated cases: 1 of partial flap loss that led to delay of the wound closure, 2 of initial venous congestion, and 1 of hematoma. These complications resolved, and there was no case of flap loss during a 12 to 62 months follow-up (mean, 32.4 months). The present series indicated that the free-style gluteal perforator flap provides a safe, effective, and relatively easy option for lower back defect reconstruction.