title: Delayed abdominal wall reconstruction of giant ventral hernias using the anterolateral thigh free flap for skin coverage.
abstract: Delayed abdominal wall reconstruction for extremely large ventral hernias can be exceedingly difficult if there is a concomitant skin deficiency. In the past decade, six such patients after restoration of the integrity of the musculofascial layer required vascularized tissues to accomplish closure of huge mid-abdominal defects using in all cases the anterolateral thigh free flap. As with all perforator flaps, this ensures function preservation of the intrinsic abdominal muscles to provide a reliable solution to a difficult challenge.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Sacred Heart Hospital, Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. gghallock@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Geoffrey G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Hallock
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D061645:Abdominoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061525:Perforator Flap; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013848:Thigh / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome