Pre-expanded arterialised venous free flaps for burn contracture of the cervicofacial region.

Despite the fact that arterialised venous flaps provide thin good-quality tissue to repair defects of the face and neck, their clinical applications have been limited by an unstable postoperative course and variable flap necrosis. In an effort to resolve these problems, a tissue-expansion technique has been applied to the arterialised venous flap before flap transfer. Three pre-expanded arterialised venous free flaps have been used to treat post-burn scar contracture of the cervicofacial region. The donor site was confined to the forearm in each case. A rectangular expander was usually placed over the fascia of the flexor muscles in the proximal two-thirds of the forearm. The mean expansion period, volume and flap size were 44 days, 420 cm(3)and 147 cm(2), respectively. There were no complications caused by insertion and expansion. The cervicofacial region was successfully reconstructed, after excision of the post-burn contractures, with pre-expanded arterialised venous flaps, with no marginal necrosis or postoperative instability. Large thin arterialised venous flaps are well matched with the recipient defect in the cervicofacial area and the colour and texture match obtained with forearm tissue produced an aesthetically favourable result. Pre-expanded arterialised venous flaps are another new option for free flap reconstruction of the face and neck. Copyright 2001 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.