[Design of axial flaps with color Doppler flow imaging technique].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of the color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technique in the design of the axial pattern flap.


METHODS
From March 1996 to June 1999, ten patients were included in this study. Among them, there were seven males and three females. Their defects ranged from 6 cm x 8 cm to 15 cm x 20 cm. Before operation, an axial flap was designed by the traditional method. Then CDFI technique of high frequency (5.0-7.5 MHz) was used to examine the major arterial supply of the flap and modify the design accordingly. At last, the modified flap was transferred to cover the defect.


RESULTS
All the patients except one underwent the operation successfully. The cosmetic and functional results of the flap were excellent.


CONCLUSIONS
CDFI is a simple, direct and accurate method for detecting the vascular supply of an axial pattern flap. This technique should be popularized to avoid blindness of flap design.
Liu
Daen
D
Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530027, China.
Li
Zhixian
Z
Li
Xinsen
X
Nong
Qingwen
Q
Zhang
Liming
L
Zang
Yi
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color