Hand Doppler flowmetry for surgical planning of pedicled flap in extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction

Reconstruction of scalp defects can be performed with local flaps for medium to large defects (2-25 cm2) and microvascular free flaps for extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction greater than 25 cm2. Doppler flowmetry with its ability to exactly mark the course of arteries on the overlying skin, is a useful tool for the surgical planning of large local flaps. In our retrospective study conducted on 38 patients (all patients had malignancies or post-traumatic scalp defects), consisting of 39 total surgical procedures, we studied the impact of doppler ultrasonic flowmetry in the surgical planning for pedicled flaps in extensive full-thickness scalp reconstruction (>25 cm2) by evaluating overall flap survival rate. Nine different types of local flaps were employed in the scalp reconstruction: Superficial temporal artery (STA) pedicled rotation flap, STA pedicled transposition flap, STA islanded flap, bipedicled STA flap, bipedicled fronto-occipital flap, Supraorbital/Supratrochlear artery rotation flap, Supraorbital/Supratrochlear artery transposition flap, Occipital artery (OA) pedicled rotation flap, OA pedicled transposition flap. Before each surgical procedure a hand held doppler Huntleigh Diagnostic flowmeter with a 8 MHz probe was used to identify and follow the course of the arteries. Flap survival rate was 100%. No postoperative complications related to the flap were reported, while in two patients a partial skin graft failure occurred.