Prefabricated microvascular shoulder free flap for forehead reconstruction.

In a case with a large forehead defect following tight scalp bandaging in childhood, a prefabricated microvascular shoulder free flap was used for reconstruction. A free forearm fascial flap, with the radial artery and the concomitant vein as pedicle, was harvested and inserted under a subcutaneous pocket opened in the left shoulder region which served as the future "prefabricated free flap". In addition, a tissue expander was placed in this pocket to provide the necessary tissue expansion to enable primary donor site closure.