title: Long-Term Follow-Up of Flap Prefabrication in Facial Reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flap prefabrication is to turn a random flap into an axial flap by transferring a vascular pedicle.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the past 13 years, we have prefabricated 20 flaps in 20 patients by the superficial temporal artery and its concomitant veins. Typically, a 50- to 800-mL tissue expander was implanted in the donor site. After flap maturation, the prefabricated flap was raised and transferred locally to cover the large defect on the face. All the cases were followed up regularly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients' age were between 3 and 27 years, the size of the flaps were between 3.5 × 5.5 cm and 13 × 15 cm, the superficial temporal artery length was between 10 and 15 cm. All flaps were transferred successfully: 10 of the flaps had venous congestion, partial epidermis exfoliation and flap necrosis occurred in 4 flaps. All cases were followed up for at least 1 year, the longest follow-up period was 9 years. Long-term follow-up results showed the prefabricated flap survived in good condition and had a satisfactory outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because flap prefabrication is practical, and long-term follow-ups have proved its preferable characters and stability, it is a fine method for large area facial reconstructions.
authors.affiliation: From the Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Weixin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Muxin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Lisi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yangqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004954:Esthetics; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D015626:Tissue Expansion; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult