British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 48, Issue 1 , Pages 5-10 , January 2010

The anterolateral thigh flap in head and neck reconstruction: “Pearls and pitfalls”

  • Richard J. Shaw

      Affiliations

    • Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool (or formally appointed to), UK
    • Department of Surgery & Oncology, School of Cancer Studies, University of Liverpool, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Department of Surgery & Oncology, University of Liverpool, Duncan Building, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK. Tel.: +44 0151 706 4183; fax: +44 0151 706 5826.
    • ,
  • Martin D. Batstone

      Affiliations

    • Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool (or formally appointed to), UK
    • Maxillofacial Unit, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia
    • ,
  • Tim K. Blackburn

      Affiliations

    • Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool (or formally appointed to), UK
    • University Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK
    • ,
  • James S. Brown

      Affiliations

    • Regional Maxillofacial Unit, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool (or formally appointed to), UK

,Accepted 31 July 2009.

References 

  1. Koshima I, Soeda S. Inferior epigastric artery skin flaps without rectus abdominis muscle. Br J Plast Surg. 1989;42:645–648
  2. Song YG, Chen GZ, Song YL. The free thigh flap: a new free flap concept based on the septocutaneous artery. Br J Plast Surg. 1984;37:149–159
  3. Blondeel PN, Van Landuyt KH, Monstrey SJ, Hamdi M, Matton GE, Allen RJ, et al. The “Gent” consensus on perforator flap terminology: preliminary definitions. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2003;112:1378–1383
  4. Wei FC, Jain V, Celik N, Chen HC, Chuang DC, Lin CH. Have we found an ideal soft-tissue flap? An experience with 672 anterolateral thigh flaps. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002;109:2219–2226
  5. Kimata Y, Uchiyama K, Ebihara S, Sakuraba M, Iida H, Nakatsuka T, et al. Anterolateral thigh flap donor-site complications and morbidity. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2000;106:584–589
  6. Brown JS, Thomas S, Chakrabati A, Lowe D, Rogers SN. Patient preference in placement of the donor-site scar in head and neck cancer reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2008;122:20e–22e
  7. Wei FC, Mardini S. Free-style free flaps. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004;114:910–916
  8. Pan WR, Taylor GI. The angiosomes of the thigh and buttock. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;123:236–249
  9. Adler N, Dorafshar AH, Agarwal JP, Gottlieb LJ. Harvesting the lateral femoral circumflex chimera free flap: guidelines for elevation. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;123:918–925
  10. Koshima I, Hosoda M, Ohta S, Moriguchi T, Soeda S, Nakayama Y, et al. Free vascularized iliac osteomusculocutaneous flaps based on the lateral circumflex femoral system for repair of large mandibular defects. Ann Plast Surg. 1994;33:581–588
  11. Celik N, Wei FC, Lin CH, Cheng MH, Chen HC, Jeng SF, et al. Technique and strategy in anterolateral thigh perforator flap surgery, based on an analysis of 15 complete and partial failures in 439 cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002;109:2211–2218
  12. Cascarini L, Monteiro MJ, Collard BR, Lyons AJ. Simple technique to prevent twisting of the perforating vessels in an anterolateral thigh flap. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2008;46:694–695
  13. Brown JS, Zuydam AC, Jones DC, Rogers SN, Vaughan ED. Functional outcome in soft palate reconstruction using a radial forearm free flap in conjunction with a superiorly based pharyngeal flap. Head Neck. 1997;19:524–534
  14. Alkureishi LW, Ross GL. Thinning of the anterolateral thigh flap: unpredictable results. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006;118:569–570
  15. Kimata Y, Uchiyama K, Ebihara S, Nakatsuka T, Harii K. Anatomic variations and technical problems of the anterolateral thigh flap: a report of 74 cases. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998;102:1517–1523
  16. Lyons AJ. Perforator flaps in head and neck surgery. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2006;35:199–207
  17. Kimata Y, Uchiyama K, Sakuraba M, Ebihara S, Hayashi R, Asakage T, et al. Deep circumflex iliac perforator flap with iliac crest for mandibular reconstruction. Br J Plast Surg. 2001;54:487–490
  18. Shaw RJ, Brown JS. Osteomyocutaneous deep circumflex iliac artery perforator flap in the reconstruction of midface defect with facial skin loss: a case report. Microsurgery. 2009;29:299–302

PII: S0266-4356(09)00509-9

doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2009.07.026

British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 48, Issue 1 , Pages 5-10 , January 2010

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