Free Perforator Flaps in Children

Abstract

In children, as in adults, perforator flaps are a valuable alternative to the traditional muscle or myocutaneous free flap. Because of the added advantage of reducing donor-site morbidity, perforator flaps have become the authors' preferred option in reconstructive cases in children.

Microsurgical Reconstruction In Pediatric Patients: A Series Of 30 Patients

“…Initial concerns as to the feasibility and reliability of these procedures were overcome rapidly. [3,4,7] Microsurgeries succeed in children more often than in adults for two reasons. The first issue is that the relative size of the vessels when compared with the child's body is greater than that of adults, and the second issue is that children have minimal comorbidities like smoking, diabetes, hypertension, or peripheral vessel disease.…”

“…The perforator vessels can be relatively small in children, though their relative size compared with the size of the child's body is greater than that in adults. [7] Our current study reports a series of 30 free flaps performed in children for various reconstructions. Seven of these flaps were perforator flaps, which are valuable reconstructive options even in pediatric patients.…”

Latissimus dorsi muscle flap for lower extremity reconstruction in children

“…3,15,16 Van Landuyt et al 17 showed that the size of the pedicle vessel in children is larger than in adults in relation to their body size. In addition, pediatric blood vessels tend to be in better condition compared with adults, because of the lack of comorbidities (arteriosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and alcohol abuse).…”

Reconstructive microsurgery in pediatric population—A series of 25 patients

“…The free tissue transfers included 12 patients with various etiologies: congenital defects (4), trauma (6), and tumor resection (2). Four patients involved six toe-tohand transfers of the isolated second toe (3) and the combined second and third toe (1) between the age of 5 and 12 years.…”

“…1 Free flap surgery in the pediatric population has gained widespread acceptance after an initial period of concern regarding the technical feasibility and reliability of the procedure. 2 The feasibility of free tissue transfers in children is accepted by all authors. 3 Advances in microsurgical techniques have permitted replantation and reconstructive procedures to restore injured parts with a high degree of success rate in children.…”