title: Use of skin stretchers to elongate a peninsular thoracodorsal axial pattern flap for antebrachial wound closure in a dog.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe preoperative use of skin stretchers to elongate a peninsular thoracodorsal axial pattern flap to close a large antebrachial wound on a dog.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 21 kg, 7-year-old, male intact mixed breed dog.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two skin stretchers were applied to the site of the thoracodorsal axial pattern flap 4 days before surgery. The elastic cables connecting the adhesive pads were tightened daily to increase the skin available for a peninsular thoracodorsal axial pattern flap, which was created and rotated 180° to cover an antebrachial defect to a level 2 cm proximal to the carpus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The entire flap survived; there was a small amount of incisional separation at the distal margin of the flap that healed without further treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative skin stretching provided additional skin for the axial pattern flap used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 3900 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. dholt@vet.upenn.edu
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Runge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000662:veterinary*; D058106:Wound Closure Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*