A combined rotational flap was used to repair large scar on the face. The flap was removed from the lateral part of the neck, face and postaural region, between the zygmatic arch and clavicle. The dissection was carried out on the superfic ial of SMAS and platysmus M. Twentysix (12 males and 14 females) were reported. The age ranged from 5 to 28 years. The flap was survived completely in 19 cases. Small area at the margin of the flap was necrotic, which was reducing appeared in the postaural cular region in 6 cases. By reducing the size of the postaural cual component of the flap, necrosis never occured. Among these cases, 11 were followed up for 6 to 14 months. The results were satisfactory. The combined flap was classified as randomized flap because it had no axial and it could be used to cover a large area of skin defect. The color, thickness and quality of the flaps were all close to the normal facial skin. It was considered especially suitable for repair the large wound on the medial twothirds of the cheek.
Coronary heart disease is the second leading cause of death worldwide. As a preventable and treatable chronic disease, early screening is of great importance for disease control. However, previous screening tools relied on physician assistance, thus cannot be used on a large scale. Many facial features have been reported to be associated with coronary heart disease and may be useful for screening. However, these facial features have limitations such as fewer types, irregular definitions and poor repeatability of manual judgment, so they can not be routinely applied in clinical practice. With the development of artificial intelligence, it is possible to integrate facial features to predict diseases. A recent study published in the European Heart Journal showed that coronary heart disease can be predicted using artificial intelligence based on facial photos. Although this work still has some limitations, this novel technology will be promise for improving disease screening and diagnosis in the future.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical application of the modified bilobed flap in the reconstruction of zygomatic-facial massive defect after resection of skin cancer. Methods Between August 2009 and October 2011, 15 patients with skin cancer in the zygomatic-facial region underwent defect reconstruction using modified bilobed flaps after surgical removal. There were 12 males and 3 females, aged 52-78 years (mean, 64.1 years). The disease duration was 1-14 months (mean, 4.6 months). Among the patients, there were 11 cases of basal cell carcinoma and 4 cases of squamous cell carcinoma; 1 patient had infection and the others had no skin ulceration; and tumor involved the skin layer in all patients. According to TNM staging, 13 cases were rated as T2N0M2 and 2 cases as T3N0M3. The defect size ranged from 4.0 cm × 2.5 cm to 6.5 cm × 4.0 cm after cancer resection. The modified bilobed flaps consisting of pre-auricular flap and post-auricular flap was used to repair the defect after cancer resection. The size ranged from 4.0 cm × 2.5 cm to 6.5 cm × 4.0 cm of the first flap and from 3.0 cm × 2.0 cm to 5.0 cm × 3.0 cm of the second flap. ResultsPartial incision dehiscence occurred in 1 case, and was cured after dressing change; the flaps survived and incision healed primarily in the other cases. Fourteen patients were followed up 12-24 months (mean, 18.7 months). No recurrence was found, and the patients had no obvious face asymmetry or skin scar with normal closure of eyelid and facial nerve function. At last follow-up, the results were very satisfactory in 5 cases, satisfactory in 7 cases, generally satisfactory in 1 case, and dissatisfactory in 1 case. ConclusionThe pre- and post-auricular bilobed flaps could be used to reconstruct the massive defects in the zygomatic-facial region after resection of skin cancer.
The paper reported the clinical experience of using pectoralis major myocutaneous flap for the immediate repair of massive defects from excising the oral and maxillofacial malignant tumours in 21 cases from 1985 to 1993. The valuation, design, preparation, technique of transfer of the flap and the prevention of flap from necrosis were discussed. It was suggested that the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap was worth using for the immediate repair of massive defects around oral and maxillofacial regions.
OBJECTIVE: To probe into the methods and effects of small soft tissue defect of facial area, nose and eyelid repaired by temporal island flap pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle. METHODS: From 1994 to 1999, 12 cases with cicatricial ectropion of eyelid, scar in nose and facial area or facial mole were repaired by temporal flap pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle. The maximal area of skin flap was 3 cm x 5 cm. RESULTS: All the skin flaps were survived after operation. Six cases were followed up from 6 months to 4 years, the results were satisfied. There were no secondary deformity or scar formation in the donor site. CONCLUSION: The blood supply of orbicularis oculi muscle is plentiful. It is a reliable method to repair of small facial tissue defect using temporal island flap pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle. But in bigger facial soft tissue defect, it should be cautious.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility of using indocyanine green angiography in mapping the superficial temporal vessels and assisting design and harvesting of the superficial temporal artery based forehead flap. Methods A clinical data of 14 patients with facial soft tissue defects repaired with superficial temporal artery based forehead flaps between October 2015 and November 2022 was retrospectively analyzed. There were 9 males and 5 females with a median age of 9.5 years (range, 3-38 years). The forehead flaps were used to reconstruct facial soft tissue defects following excision of facial scar (8 cases) or congenital melanocyte nevus (6 cases). The size of defects ranged from 3 cm×2 cm to 24 cm×9 cm. Before operation, the indocyanine green angiography was used to map the superficial temporal artery and vein, and to analyze the relationship of the arteries and veins. The forehead flaps with unilateral superficial temporal fascia as the pedicle was transferred to repair the small facial defect in 2 cases. The facial pedicle contained the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery and 2 cm of the superficial temporal fascia around the vessel, and the tiny accompanying vein of the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery was used as the outflow of the flap. The forehead flaps with the skin pedicle including bilateral or unilateral superficial temporal fascia and the overlying skin was pre-expanded and transferred to repair the large facial defect in 12 cases. The skin pedicle contained the frontal branch of superficial temporal artery and one of main branches of superficial temporal vein. Among the 12 cases, the frontal branch of superficial temporal vein was used as the outflow in 4 cases, and the parietal branch was used as the outflow in 8 cases. The size of the flaps ranged from 3 cm×2 cm to 30 cm×13 cm. The skin pedicles were divided at 3 weeks after the flap transfer. ResultsIndocyanine green angiography could clearly showed the course and branching of the superficial temporal artery and vein. Individual differences existed in the location where the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery entered the forehead. The superficial temporal vein had great variability and did not follow the artery. One patient had expander-related complication, which resulted in 3-cm flap necrosis. The necrotic tissue was debrided and repaired with skin grafting. The other flaps totally survived and the incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 2-24 months, with a median of 11.5 months. The color, texture, and thickness of the flaps matched well with those of recipient sites. Hypertrophic scar was not observed in recipient or donor site. All patients were satisfied with the reconstructive outcomes. ConclusionIndocyanine green angiography can clearly visualize the course and the branches of the superficial temporal arteries and veins, which can help surgeons understand the position, distribution, and concomitant relationship of the superficial temporal vessels, and make a rational surgical plan of the forehead flap.