title: Versatile anterolateral thigh perforator flap: case of tailored reconstruction for a large temporal and parotidectomy defect.
abstract: Perforator flaps have introduced an advance in microsurgical reconstruction, by allowing the design of flaps that are tailored for a specific defect. In this report, the reconstructive technique in a case of temporal squamous-cell carcinoma is presented as an example of this trend. Following wide resection of the skin tumor, superficial parotidectomy was performed as a part of the lymph-node dissection. An anterolateral thigh perforator flap was harvested, including a segment of the vastus lateralis muscle in connection with the skin perforators, to reconstruct both the skin defect and the parotidectomy-related soft-tissue deficit. The muscle segment was reinnervated by the greater auricular nerve to diminish atrophy. The aesthetic result was satisfactory. Minor's starch-iodine test demonstrated prevention of Frey's syndrome. The anterolateral thigh flap is a versatile donor that allows individual variations in design for custom-made flaps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Mersin School of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferit
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirkan
authors.forename: Sakir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gurbuz
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005145:Face; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000294:innervation; D013848:Thigh