title: Repair of wide myelomeningocele defects with the bilateral fasciocutaneous flap method.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Five large myelomeningocele defects repaired by bilateral fasciocutaneous flaps are presented in this article.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the neurological repair, bilateral fasciocutaneous flaps were raised, transposed over the midline, and sutured to each other.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All operations lasted shorter than one hour and no major complication was noted in the follow-up. Three of the defects were in the thoracolumbar and two in the lumbosacral regions. The areas of the defects were between 5x6 cm (30 cm2) and 8x10 cm (80 cm2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bilateral fasciocutaneous flap technique offers a shorter operation duration and lower bleeding rate; it is simple to learn and practice and does not abolish alternative operation techniques.
authors.affiliation: Afyonkarahisar Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. nurth70@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Turhan Haktanir
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Reflit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Köken
authors.forename: Hamide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Melek
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae