Repair of wide myelomeningocele defects with the bilateral fasciocutaneous flap method.
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.
Turhan Haktanir
Nurten
N
Afyonkarahisar Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. nurth70@yahoo.com
Eser
Olcay
O
Demir
Yavuz
Y
Aslan
Adem
A
Köken
Reflit
R
Melek
Hamide
H
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