title: The use of fascial plication to facilitate wound closure following microscopically controlled surgery.
abstract: The closure of large wounds created by the Mohs method of skin cancer removal may often be facilitated by the plication of the underlying fascia. Fascial plication causes the movement of tissue without direct tension and vascular compromise on involved skin. This may be referred to as tissue drag. The tissue, once dragged toward the closure point by fascial movement, may often be stretched a further distance. Only the tension caused by stretching affects the vascular viability of the skin. This tension-alleviating maneuver may permit closure of wounds that might otherwise be subject to ischemic complications if only standard cutaneous and subcutaneous closures are employed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dzubow
mesh_terms: D004548:Elasticity; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery; D013536:Suture Techniques