skin flap

Indications

• reconstruction of traumatic wounds
• reconstruction of cosmetic disorder
• reconstructionn of hed & neck cancer
• cutaneous ulcer refractory to medical therapy

Clinical significance

• wound coverage when inadequate vascularity of the wound bed prevents skin graft survival
• wound coverage on the face, particularly around the eyes, nose, & mouth
• cover for gliding tendons
• bulk tissue to fill contour defects
• specialized sensory function

Procedure

• moves a section of skin & associated subcutaneous tissue from one part of the body to another, with the vascular supply maintained for nourishment
• the vascular attachment can be the original vessel, rotated along with the flap; changed from one part of the flap to another; or reestablished by microvascular anastomoses once it has been placed in the new location
• one disadvantage of local flap closure is that the flap essentially redistributes an already inadequately perfused tissue & is randomly dependent on an unpredictable local blood supply

More general terms

• tissue transfer

More specific terms

• skin flap, forehead

Additional terms

• skin graft