[Repair of facial defect with expanded skin flap from medial upper arm].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the blood supply of the expanded skin flap from medial upper arm and its application on the reparation of facial defect due to scar resection.

METHODS

The operation was carried out for three steps: 1) The expander was embed under the superior proper fascia. 2) The skin flap from medial upper arm was created with superior ulnar collateral artery as blood supply and attributive branches of basilic and axillary veins as blood collection and was grafted onto the facial defect. 3). After being separated from donor site, the skin flap was employed to cover the facial defect with maximal area of 15 x 10 cm(2).

RESULTS

Seven patients in all with facial scar and defects were managed with the skin flap. All the grafted skin flaps survived at last with nearly normal skin color, texture and contour. And the scar in donor sites seemed to be neglectable.

CONCLUSION

Reparation of facial defects with medial upper arm skin flap after expanding could be recommended. But longer treatment time and some obsessive action of upper limbs and head might be disadvantages.