Background: Full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) have been widely used after facial skin cancer resection, for correcting defects that are too wide to be reconstructed using a local flap or if structural deformation is expected. The preauricular, posterior auricular, supraclavicular, conchal bowl, nasolabial fold, and upper eyelid skin areas are known as the main donor sites for facial FTSG. Herein, we aimed to describe the effectiveness of using infraclavicular skin as the donor site for specific cases. Methods: We performed FTSG using the infraclavicular skin as the donor site in older Asian adults following skin cancer resection. Outcomes were observed for > 6 months postoperatively. The Manchester Scar Scale was used for an objective evaluation of satisfaction following surgery and scarring. Results: We analyzed the data of 17 patients. During follow-up, the donor and recipient sites of all patients healed without complications. Upon evaluation, the average Manchester Scar Scale scores for the recipient and donor sites were 7.4 points and 5.7 points, respectively. Conclusion: In general, conventional donor sites, such as the preauricular, posterior auricular, and supraclavicular sites, are widely used for facial FTSG because they achieve good cosmetic results. However, the infraclavicular skin may be a useful donor for facial FTSG in cases where the duration of time spent under anesthesia must be minimized due to a patient's advanced age or underlying health conditions, or when the recipient site is relatively thick area, such as the nose, forehead, or cheek.
Cochlear implant extrusion, which is a common complication of cochlear implants, is generally repaired by a well visualized soft-tissue flap. A 61-year-old female patient with a medical history of schizophrenia who had a skin ulcer that caused cochlear implant extrusion, but that would be a stronger statement was referred to our department for removal of the implant and reconstruction of the resultant scalp defect. Accordingly, the broad defect was covered via rotation of a temporoparietal fascia flap (TPFF) using the superficial temporal artery, with the pedicle in the preauricular region as the pivot point. Coverage of TPFF was achieved with a split-thickness skin graft using the scalp as the donor site, which led to a quick recovery after the operation and satisfactory results in terms of aesthetics. This case suggests that a TPFF might be used as a flexible flap with low donor site morbidity for reconstructing cases of cochlear implant extrusion accompanied by a large full-layer scalp defect.
Rhinophyma is a painless benign tumor of the skin of the nose. It is the most severe form of rosacea. Rhinophyma is particularly rare among Asians. It can be treated with surgical resection using various methods, including scalpel excision, dermabrasion, cryosurgery, argon laser, carbon dioxide laser, and electrocautery. However, the gold standard treatment of rhinophyma remains unknown. In the present case, we debulked a giant rhinophyma with a scalpel and contoured it using a bur. Along with a relevant literature review, we present a case of rhinophyma in an Asian patient who was treated at no additional cost using a bur widely used in general plastic surgery.
The distant abdominal flap has long been used in hand reconstruction due to its stability and minimal complications at the donor site. After the distant abdominal flap is performed, the hand should remain attached to the abdomen for 3 weeks. Keeping this attachment stable without any kinking of the flap is crucial. In this report, a distant abdominal flap was used to reconstruct defects in skin on a finger after trauma, and a silicone sheet was used to reinforce the area as to prevent kinking of the abdominal flap. The flap was successfully kept in position without kinking or tension until it was detached. Reinforcing a flap with a silicone sheet may work as an effective wound dressing method that prevents kinking in pedicle flaps.
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