title: The 'reading man flap' for pressure sore reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of pressure sores represents a significant challenge to health care professionals. Although, pressure wound management demands a multidisciplinary approach, soft tissue defects requiring reconstruction are often considered for surgical management. Myocutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps can provide stable coverage of pressure sores.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Here, we describe our experience using a recent fasciocutaneous flap, which is named 'reading man' flap, in sacral, ischial, and trochanteric pressure sores.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a period of 1 year the authors operated 16 patients, 11 men, and 5 women, using the reading man flap. The ages of the patients ranged from 24 to 78 years. The location of pressure sores was 8 sacral, 5 ischial, and 3 trochanteric pressure sores. The mean size of pressure sores was 8 cm × 9 cm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All pressure sores covered bt the Reading Man flap healed asymptomatically. After follow-up of 2-8 months, no recurrences were encountered and no further surgical intervention was required.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reading man flap was found to be a useful technique for the closure of pressure sore in different anatomic locations. The advantage of tension-free closure and the minimal additional healthy skin excision made this flap a useful tool in pressure sore reconstructions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sapountzis
authors.forename: Hyoung Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Achilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chantes
authors.forename: Rong Min
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Beak
authors.forename: Chan Yeong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Heo