ROTATION FLAPS

Course overview

A FLAP IS USED WHEN SIMPLER CLOSURE TECHNIQUES, SUCH AS SECONDARY INTENTION, PRIMARY CLOSURE, OR SKIN GRAFTING, PRODUCE A FUNCTIONALLY OR COSMETICALLY UNACCEPTABLE RESULT. FLAPS CAN REDUCE AND REDIRECT TENSION, MAKING THEM INDISPENSABLE TOOLS IN WOUND CLOSURE. BY USING NEARBY TISSUE, LOCAL FLAPS PROVIDE EXCELLENT SKIN COLOR, TEXTURE, AND THICKNESS MATCHING THE RECIPIENT SITE. FLAPS, UNLIKE GRAFTS, REMAIN ATTACHED TO A VASCULAR SUPPLY KNOWN AS A PEDICLE. LOCAL FLAPS, WHICH USE TISSUE ADJACENT TO THE PRIMARY DEFECT FOR CLOSURE, ARE CLASSIFIED BY THEIR BLOOD SUPPLY PATTERN. AXIAL FLAPS ARE SUPPLIED BY A NAMED ARTERY, WHEREAS RANDOM PATTERN FLAPS ARE SUPPLIED BY THE DERMAL PLEXUS OR UNNAMED MUSCULOCUTANEOUS ARTERIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE USES, INDICATIONS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND COMPLICATIONS OF ROTATIONAL FLAPS AND EXAMINES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS RECEIVING ROTATIONAL FLAPS.