Salvage Free Anterolateral Thigh Composite Flap Transfer Based on the Musculocutaneous Perforator Retrograde Blood Flow Principle. Issue 2 (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Jingyi; Chan, Fuan Chiang; Yang, Xiaonan; Zong, Xianlei; Sun, Hengyun; Qi, Zuoliang; Jin, Xiaolei
• Is Part Of: Journal of craniofacial surgery. Volume 27:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: e178
• Page End: e181
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: ALT -- composite flap -- fronto-nasal defect -- retrograde blood flow; Facial bones -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Skull -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Face -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Surgery, Plastic -- Periodicals; 617.52
• DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000002427
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-2275

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: An anterolateral thigh myo-adipofascial flap was used in the definitive management of a patient presented with chronic infective process associated with a large fronto-nasal defect. Unfortunately, the risk of free flap transfer failure emerged when intraoperative dissection showed absence of a reliable ipsilateral superficial temporal artery as the recipient artery. This rare incident happened at the stage whereby the anterolateral thigh flap was nearly completely raised with a distal perforator in situ. In this article, the authors presented an innovative strategy to salvage the flap by transforming the flap into a modified composite flap based on the retrograde blood flow principle. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of using such a technique in reconstructive microsurgery. This successful salvage strategy has clinical application and could potentially minimize free flap transfer failure.