title: Delayed debulking of free muscle flaps for aesthetic contouring debulking of free muscle flaps.
abstract: Although denervated muscle and myocutaneous free flaps atrophy over a period of time, when used for surface coverage they may remain bulky, resulting in a less than optimal aesthetic result. With the availability of a number of donor sites, soft tissue defects can often be reconstructed with like tissue in a single stage. Even though the goal of all plastic surgeons is to achieve a good cosmetic result, special circumstances might dictate that need take precedence over form. We have had six cases where a bulky muscle was used to achieve well vascularised coverage. After wound closure had been successfully accomplished, a secondary debulking procedure was performed safely for a final acceptable aesthetic result.
authors.affiliation: Allentown Hospital--Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, Division of Plastic Surgery, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Chowdary
authors.forename: R X
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*