Premium
Healing of lined and unlined parasitic and nonparasitic flaps
Author(s) -
Whitaker Linton A.,
Graham William P.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930060606
Subject(s) - cheek , medicine , blood supply , forehead , contracture , surgery , perforator flaps
The importance of lining and maintaining a continuing in‐continuity blood supply has been emphasized for optimum healing and decreasing the amount of contracture following full‐thickness cheek resection. An experimental model has been designed to test this hypothesis. Twelve squirrel monkeys were used with carefully measured forehead flaps cut and placed into cheek defects of the same size. The flaps and defects were tattooed and cut as squares 1.5 cm on each side. In six, a full‐thickness cheek defect was created leaving the forehead flap unlined when placed in the defect. In the remaining six a mucosal surface was retained leaving a lined flap following setting it into the cheek defect. At 3 weeks, three of the lined and three unlined flaps were divided creating parasitic flaps. Three lined and three unlined flaps were not divided, remaining as nonparasitic flaps. Healing characteristics were observed and measurements of total perimeter, external surface area, and tracings of the flaps were made at 3 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. Results in the models utilized do not verify any difference in the quality of healing or amount of contracture.