title: Crescentic Back Cut: A Novel Technique for the Management of Flap/Defect Discrepancies in Rotation Flaps.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Facial reconstruction requires the use of various techniques to repair cutaneous defects. Sliding flaps, such as advancement and rotation flaps, typically result in tension alterations and skin redundancy, necessitating a secondary defect.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We describe a back cut technique that allows minimization of the scar line and appropriate placement of tension vectors in certain locations, which we call the crescentic back cut.
  
  
  METHODS
  A patient with a surgical defect on his preauricular cheek is repaired by use of a rotation flap modified with a crescentic back cut. We briefly review the alternative methods for management of flap/defect discrepancies in rotation flaps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The crescentic back cut is simple to suture, can be adjusted in length and thickness to minimize pedicle transection, and keeps the scar short and within the relaxed skin tension lines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The crescentic back cut is a useful option to manage flap/defect discrepancies in rotation flaps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA enasseri@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Eiman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nasseri
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015580:Mohs Surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps
keywords: dermatology; surgery; wound