Nasal tip reconstruction: the horizontal "J" rotation flap using skin from the lower lateral bridge and cheek

The horizontal "J" flap is a rotation flap that uses skin from the lower lateral bridge and cheek to repair full-thickness skin defects of the nasal tip. Pertinent anatomic morphologic characteristics of the nasal tip skin that contribute to the unique character of the nose are discussed. The example defects presented resulted from the excision of skin cancers using micrographic surgery. Nasal tip reconstruction, using adjacent skin based on the nasal anatomic subunit principle, results in superior aesthetic repairs.     

Challenges in midface reconstruction

Defects of the midface and maxilla are often the most challenging problems faced by the reconstructive surgeon. Resections that involve critical structures of the face such as the nose, eyelids, and lips in conjunction with the maxilla can be particularly difficult to reconstruct. The algorithm for reconstruction of these defects is usually based on the extent of maxilla that is resected. A classification system for maxillectomy defects is the most useful way to approach these reconstructions. A vast majority of extensive defects involving the maxilla and midface require free flap reconstructions. The type of flap selected is based on the extent of skin, soft tissue, and bone that is resected. Smaller volume defects with large skin surface requirements are best reconstructed with the radial forearm fasciocutaneous or osteocutaneous flaps. Larger soft-tissue volume and skin surface can be provided by the rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap. Critical structures such as lips, eyelids, and nose should be reconstructed separately, using local flaps if at all possible. The free tissue transfer should ideally not be incorporated into these structures. Most patients with even the largest resections can be restored to fairly good function by following this algorithm. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 19:218-225, 2000.     

One stage reconstruction of the floor of the mouth with a subcutaneous pedicled nasolabial flap

BackgroundNasolabial flaps have been recognised as versatile flaps for a variety of defects in the face, nose, lip and the oral cavity. Random pattern inferiorly based nasolabial flaps (NLF) have been utilised for covering small defects on the anterior floor of the mouth, but usually require a second stage procedure to divide the flap base. A subcutaneous pedicled inferiorly based nasolabial flap can provide a one stage repair of moderate sized defects of the floor of the mouth after de epithelialisation of the base of the flap.AimTo evaluate the feasibility of a single stage reconstruction of intermediate sized defects in the oral cavity with an inferiorly based pedicled NLF. The study includes the indications of use of the flap, flap design, technique, and the complications rate. The incidence of secondary procedures and the final functional and the aesthetic results will also be evaluated.Materials and methodsA group of 20 patients presented with (T1–2) squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity have been treated at the Department of Surgery, National Cancer Institute, Cairo; in the period between January 2008 and September 2010. The pathology was confirmed with an incision biopsy and all metastatic work were carried out confirming that all patients were free from distant metastasis at presentation. Preoperative assessment also included assessment of the stage of the disease, the flap design and patient fitness for general anaesthesia. All patients underwent surgical excision combined with reconstruction of the defect with a subcutaneous inferiorly based pedicled NLF. The proximal part of the flap was routinely de epithelialised before it has been tunnelled through the cheek so a one stage procedure could only be required.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 62.3 ± 6 years, range (52–69 years). All patients were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. The anterior floor of the mouth constituted 40% of the defects, the lateral floor of the mouth 20% and the inner surface of the cheek 40%. There was no reported major complication; and only one patient suffered a reactionary haemorrhage that required re-exploration to secure the bleeder. A single procedure was adequate in most patients (80%), only 20% of patients required revision of the scar at the donor site or release of the tongue. The overall aesthetic results were either very satisfactory or satisfactory in the majority of patients (90%). Two patients were not satisfied with the final aesthetic results, one suffered from ectropion and the other had a donor site wound healing problem. The functional results (deglutition, speech) were satisfactory in most patients (70%), all were edentulous.ConclusionAn inferiorly based pedicled NLF is a reliable flap for the reconstruction of small and medium sized defects in the oral cavity. The flap can be best utilised for old edentulous and high risk patients where it can be used as a single stage procedure which is particularly useful in those types of patients. The flap can be safely combined with neck dissection even when the facial artery was ligated.     

Reconstruction of the nose with local flaps

The author presents the results of a study of 200 patients with surgical defects of the nose following excision of skin malignancies. The location, size, depth, and quality of the adjacent skin, the reconstruction choice, and the cosmetic result were recorded. Healing by second intention was most useful for wounds in concave areas. Full-thickness skin grafts were used for defects too large for local flaps, or for defects on the nasal tip or alar surface. Local flaps were the most useful choice for nasal reconstruction. Transposition flaps, in particular, were most useful for each cosmetic sub unit of the nose.     

改良带蒂胸大肌皮瓣修复头颈部晚期恶性肿瘤术后复杂缺损的临床应用

背景与目的：带蒂胸大肌皮瓣因为具有多种优点一直是头颈部组织缺损修复应用的经典组织瓣。当今,随着显微技术普及和提高,游离组织瓣逐步取代了带蒂组织瓣。然而,临床上并非所有病例均适宜接受游离组织瓣修复手术,邻近带蒂组织瓣更安全可靠。拟通过改进胸大肌皮瓣的制备及修复方法,探讨改良带蒂胸大肌皮瓣在修复头颈部晚期恶性肿瘤术后复杂缺损时的应用。方法：在皮瓣设计方案及制备方法等多方面改进胸大肌皮瓣,修复头颈部晚期恶性肿瘤术后复杂缺损患者51例。结果：51例改良胸大肌皮瓣全部存活,缺损区修复后外形和供区外形情况满意,缺损区功能得到良好的恢复,供区术后功能损伤最小化。结论：胸大肌皮瓣在设计及制备方法等多方面的改良,提高了对头颈部恶性肿瘤术后复杂缺损修复的范围及修复的距离,减少皮瓣坏死的概率,术后供区和受区外形、功能效果满意,目前仍然是头颈部恶性肿瘤术后缺损的重要修复手段之一。     

肿瘤切除后鼻腔复合缺损的重建:作者经验及疗效评价(英文)

Objective:The aim of the study was to present our experience in reconstruction of complex defects of the nose.Methods:Fourteen patients presenting with large composite defects of the nose were anatomically reconstructed after full tumor clearance of a skin cancer.The aesthetic outcome was assessed subjectively and objectively while the functional outcome was only assessed subjectively in 13 patients.Results:Basal cell carcinoma(BCC),represented the tumor excised in 10 patients while the remaining 4 patients suffered from squamous cell carcinoma(SCC).One patient died of extensive local recurrence of SCC after 6 months.The commonest flap used for inner lining was the septal flap while the forehead paramedian flap provided the external coverage for the majority of patients.All flaps survived completely except in one patient who developed distal paramedian forehead flap necrosis.Two patients developed multiple abscesses and sinuses discharging parts of cartilage grafts through the flaps’skin with one patient suffering from total extrusion of the costal cartilage grafts.Two other patients suffered from severe nostril stenosis.All patients had variable degree of difficulty in airway passage,while most patients were satisfied with the total nasal appearance.The objective assessment of the overall appearance of the nose scored less than the subjective satisfaction.Conclusion:Reconstruction of complex nasal defects has a high learning curve.Intranasal flaps are usually of limited size and nostril asymmetry is likely to occur.Local or regional skin flaps if available are still considered a good choice for inner as well as outer lining.     

应用折叠型游离股前外侧皮瓣修复面颊贯通性缺损12例

目的：探讨折叠型游离股前外侧皮瓣在修复面颊贯通性缺损中的临床应用效果。方法：2010年1月至2014年10月,在中山大学附属肿瘤防治中心应用折叠型游离股前外侧皮瓣修复12例面颊贯通性缺损的患者。分析获取游离股前外侧皮瓣的手术过程、血管吻合技巧以及皮瓣存活率。结果：11例皮瓣存活,1例因术后静脉血栓形成而坏死。在12例患者中,游离股前外侧皮瓣的供区均一期缝合,供区的线性瘢痕隐蔽性好,且供区大腿的功能不受影响。结论：游离股前外侧皮瓣具有良好的可塑性,折叠后可同时修复面颊贯通性缺损的内侧及外侧,具有供区并发症少、外观易接受及患者满意率高的优点。     

Single perforator based anterolateral thigh flap for reconstruction of large composite defects of oral cavity

Composite defects of oral cavity are a reconstructive challenge. Anterolateral thigh flap provides large and pliable tissue for reconstruction of these defects. However, wide variations in the vascular anatomy, variable perforator number and location are reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of single perforator based large anterolateral thigh for reconstruction of complex oral cavity defects following ablative surgery. We report a series of 25 consecutive patients who underwent reconstruction of oral cavity defects with anterolateral thigh flap based on single perforator between August 2009 and August 2010. The mean flap dimension was 261cm(2) (range 80-540cm(2)). In 21 patients the flap was bi-paddled and used for inner and outer lining for cheek. None of the flaps developed perforator insufficiency. Two flaps were lost due to delayed neck wound sepsis after 7th post operative day. This study establishes safety and reliability of using a large and/or bi-paddled anterolateral thigh flap based on single perforator for reconstruction of complex oral cavity defects.     

A new modified method for nasal lining: the Menick technique for folded lining

Traditional lining techniques such as prefabricated flaps, hinge-over flaps, or second local flaps for lining are thick, stiff, or poorly vascularized. Support grafts have traditionally been placed incompletely or secondarily. Intranasal lining flaps have revolutionized reconstruction but are complex, tedious, and destructive to the residual nose. More recently, the forehead skin has been transferred for cover as a full thickness flap in three stages. It has allowed the modification of the traditional folded flap technique for lining to permit a simple, efficient, and widely useful method of lining replacement for common defects. Thin, supple, vascular lining is combined with delayed primary cartilage grafts to provide excellent functional and cosmetic results.     

Reconstruction of Combined Oral Mucosa-Mandibular Defects Using the Vascularized Myoosseous Iliac Crest Free Flap

The authors present five cases of combined oral mucosa-mandible defects reconstructed with thevascularized internal oblique-iliac crest myoosseous free flap. This technique has many advantages comparedto other conventional methods such as the radial flap, scapula flap, and fibula flap. Vascularized iliac crestflaps provide sufficient high-quality bone suitable for reconstructing segmental madibular defects. Althoughfibular flaps allow longer donor bone tissue to be harvested, the iliac crest can provide an esthetic shape formandibular body reconstruction and also provides sufficient bone height for dental implants. Conventionalvascularized iliac crest myoosseous flaps have excessive soft tissue bulk for reconstruction of intraoral softtissue defects. The modification discussed in the present article can reduce soft tissue volume, resulting inbetter functional reconstruction of the oral mucosa. Another advantage is that complete replacement of theoral mucosa is observed in as early as one month post-operation. The final mucosal texture is much betterthan that obtained with other skin paddle flaps, which is especially beneficial for the placement of dentalimplant prostheses. Donor site morbidity looks to be similar to, if not less than that observed for othermodalities in terms of function and esthetics. For combined oral mucosa-mandible defects, the vascularizedinternal oblique-iliac crest myoosseous free flap shows good results with respect to hard and soft tissuereconstruction.     

Hand Doppler flowmetry for surgical planning of pedicled flap in extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction

Reconstruction of scalp defects can be performed with local flaps for medium to large defects (2–25 cm²) and microvascular free flaps for extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction greater than 25 cm². Doppler flowmetry with its ability to exactly mark the course of arteries on the overlying skin, is a useful tool for the surgical planning of large local flaps. In our retrospective study conducted on 38 patients (all patients had malignancies or post-traumatic scalp defects), consisting of 39 total surgical procedures, we studied the impact of doppler ultrasonic flowmetry in the surgical planning for pedicled flaps in extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction (>25 cm²) by evaluating overall flap survival rate. Nine different types of local flaps were employed in the scalp reconstruction: Superficial temporal artery (STA) pedicled rotation flap, STA pedicled transposition flap, STA islanded flap, bipedicled STA flap, bipedicled fronto-occipital flap, Supraorbital/Supratrochlear artery rotation flap, Supraorbital/Supratrochlear artery transposition flap, Occipital artery (OA) pedicled rotation flap, OA pedicled transposition flap. Before each surgical procedure a hand held doppler Huntleigh Diagnostic flowmeter with a 8 MHz probe was used to identify and follow the course of the arteries. Flap survival rate was 100%. No postoperative complications related to the flap were reported, while in two patients a partial skin graft failure occurred.     

Reconstruction of the nose with groin flap

Acid burns of the face is not infrequent. In one such case groin skin has been chosen for reconstruction of the nose following destruction of the skin and a part of the cartilages. The result was satisfactory.     

Reconstruction of full-thickness cheek defects after cancer surgery

The value of various surgical techniques used to reconstruct full-thickness cheek defects is discussed. Small defects can be repaired with the use of local cervical skin flaps with a random vascular pattern. Axial pattern temporal flap is another choice, either alone or combined with a cervical flap. Whenever local tissues are not suitable (i.e. after irradiation or neck dissection) a transfer of distant myocutaneous island flap based on a pedicle of axial muscle vessels is a valuable alternative. Split skin graft may form a good intra-oral lining of such island flap.     

应用额瓣整复老年颊癌患者术后缺损

目的 应用简便、快捷、安全的方法修复老年颊癌术后组织缺损，恢复口腔功能。方法 对5例老年颊粘膜癌患者施行根治性切除术后，同期行全额瓣带蒂移植。其中4例额瓣经颧弓下进入口腔，修复翼下颌皱襞、磨牙后区和颊粘膜；1例经颧弓外侧转移折叠，修复面颊部沿穿性缺损。结果 5例额瓣均完全成活，形态及功能良好。前额部皮片全部成活，但游移度稍差，术后1年以上皮片色泽接近正常。随访9个月-2年半无复发和转移。结论 额瓣适合于老年口腔癌术后组织缺损的修复，尤其是面积较大的颊癌或面颊洞穿性缺损。     

头面部皮肤恶性肿瘤切除与整形修复

目的:回顾性分析和总结头面部皮肤恶性肿瘤手术和修复的临床经验。方法:扩大切除头面部皮肤恶性肿瘤44例,对47处缺损分别采用直接拉拢缝合、游离植皮、各种邻近皮瓣、皮肤软组织扩张术、游离大网膜 皮片移植等方法修复。结果:因皮瓣下血肿致延期愈合1例,大网膜坏死而重新植皮1例,面神经麻痹2例,部分皮片坏死2例,其余的病例均Ⅰ期愈合。结论:术后缺损的修复方法应根据患者的具体情况而定,其中以邻近随意皮瓣的效果较好。     

Reconstruction of maxillectomy and midfacial defects with free tissue transfer

The maxillary bones are part of the midfacial skeleton and are closely related to the eyeglobe, nasal airway, and oral cavity. Together with the overlying soft tissues, the two maxillae are responsible to a large extent for facial contour. Maxillectomy defects become more complex when critical structures such as the orbit, globe, and cranial base are resected, and reconstruction with distant tissues become essential. In this article, we describe a classification system and algorithm for reconstruction of these complex defects using various pedicled and free flaps. Most defects that involve resection of the maxilla and adjacent soft tissues may be classified into one of the following four types: Type I defects, Limited maxillectomy; Type II defects, Subtotal maxillectomy; Type III defects, Total maxillectomy; and Type IV defects, Orbitomaxillectomy. Using this classification, reconstruction of maxillectomy and midfacial defects may be approached considering the relationship between volume and surface area requirements, that is, addressing the bony defect first, followed by assessment of the associated soft tissue, skin, palate, and cheek-lining deficits. In our experience, most complex maxillectomy defects are best reconstructed using free tissue transfer. The rectus abdominis and radial forearm free flap in combination with immediate bone grafting or as an osteocutaneous flap reliably provide the best aesthetic and functional results. A temporalis muscle pedicled flap is used for reconstruction of maxillectomy defects only in those patients who are not candidates for a microsurgical procedure.     

A novel technique for cheek mucosa defect reconstruction using a pedicled buccal fat pad and buccinator myomucosal island flap

Reconstruction of cheek mucosa defects following tumor resections can be approached with several techniques, depending on size of the defect. Fasciocutaneous and perforators free flaps are widely employed today for such reconstructions. However, small defects or general health of the patient may limit their indications. Furthermore, approaching moderate size defects, some techniques, like temporalis muscle or fascia pedicled flaps, lead to contracture with limitation of mouth opening or trisma, and others, like intraoral local flaps, do not provide enough tissue for the reconstructions. In this work the authors propose, for reconstructing these kind of defects, the use of a buccinator myomucosal island flap and a buccal fat pad pedicled flap association. A case is reported and the surgical technique is explained. This new reconstructive technique can easily be used for reconstructing moderate-sized cheek defects, achieving optimal results: the internal mucosal lining is restored in few weeks without any retraction, contracture, of scars on the face limiting the aesthetic outcome and mouth opening.     

The Bozola flap in oral cavity reconstruction

The buccinator musculomucosal flaps are actually considered the main reconstructive option for small-moderate defects of the oral mucosa. In this paper we present our experience with the posteriorly based buccinator musculomucosal flap. A retrospective review was performed of all patients who had had a Bozola flap reconstruction at the Operative Unit of Maxillo-Facial Surgery of Parma, Italy, between 2003 and 2010. The Bozola flap was used in 19 patients. In most cases they had defects of the palate (n=12). All flaps were harvested successfully and no major complications occurred. Minor complications were observed in two cases. At the end of the follow up all patients returned to a normal diet without alterations of speech and swallowing. We consider the Bozola flap the first choice for the reconstruction of defects involving the palate, the cheek and the postero-lateral tongue and floor of the mouth.     

股前外侧皮瓣在外阴肿瘤术后的修复应用

目的：评价股前外侧皮瓣在外阴肿瘤术后缺损修复中的应用价值。方法：应用带旋股外侧动脉降支和股前外侧皮神经为蒂的股前外侧皮瓣一期修复外阴肿瘤术后缺损１０例,皮瓣大小为１０ｃｍ×１４ｃｍ～１４ｃｍ×２０ｃｍ。结果：１０例皮瓣全部成活,随访２～１２个月,外观满意,皮瓣感觉功能存在,局部肿瘤无复发。结论：股前外侧皮瓣血管蒂长,血管口径大,供瓣区隐蔽。带感觉神经的股前外侧皮瓣是一种适合外阴肿瘤术后缺损修复的理想皮瓣。     

Options for immediate breast reconstruction following skin-sparing mastectomy.

BACKGROUND: Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) is a type of breast cancer surgery presupposed as breast reconstruction surgery. Cosmetically, it is an extremely effective breast cancer operation because the greater part of the breast's native skin and infra-mammary fold are conserved. All cases of SSM and immediate breast reconstruction performed by the senior author during the last five years were reviewed. METHODS: There are three implant options for breast reconstruction, namely, deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap, latissimus dorsi myocutaneous (LDM) flap, and breast implant, and one of these was used for reconstruction after comprehensive evaluation. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2005, immediate reconstructions following SSM were performed on 124 cases (128 breasts) by the same surgeon. Partial necrosis of the breast skin occurred in 4 cases of SSM. The mean follow-up was 33.6 months. During the follow-up, there was local recurrence following surgery in 3 cases. The overall aesthetic results of immediate breast reconstruction after SSM are better than those after non-SSM. CONCLUSION: SSM preserves the native breast skin and infra-mammary fold, and is an extremely useful breast cancer surgery for breast reconstruction. SSM is an excellent breast cancer surgical technique. We think this procedure should be considered in more facilities conducting breast reconstruction in Japan.