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. 2021 Feb 4;82(6):689-694.
doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1715560. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Extended Scalp Flaps for Extensive Soft Tissue Scalp Defects as a Day Surgery Procedure Under Local Anesthetic: A Single Centre Experience

Marco Malahias  1 , Edward Ackling  2 , Omer Zubair  2 , Natasha Harper  3 , Haytham Al-Rawi  3 , Haitham Khalil  1
Affiliations

Extended Scalp Flaps for Extensive Soft Tissue Scalp Defects as a Day Surgery Procedure Under Local Anesthetic: A Single Centre Experience

Marco Malahias et al. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base. .

Abstract

Background Cutaneous malignancies are on the rise, associated with an increased number in scalp cancers that require wide local excision (WLE) to ensure clearance; the inelastic nature of the scalp poses a particular challenge when dealing with such large defects. Case presentation A series of 68 cases with large scalp defects following WLE for the clearance of squamous cell carcinoma, atypical fibroxanthoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and melanoma skin cancers are presented. These cases were treated in one center under local anesthesia and underwent extended scalp flaps to close the resulting defect primarily without the use of skin grafts for the flap donor site on the scalp. Conclusion Extended scalp flap is a safe and reproducible solution for extensive scalp defects, which results in quicker wound healing with cosmetically superior results, and can be performed safely and comfortably under local anesthesia in the day case setting.

Keywords: cutaneous malignancy; head and neck cancer; scalp flap; skin cancers.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Case 1: Left parietal scalp closure after resection of malignant skin lesion.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Case 2: Left frontoparietal scalp resection after resection of malignant skin lesion.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Case 3: Left frontoparietal scalp reconstruction.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Case 4: Frontal scalp reconstruction.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Case 5: Left parietal scalp reconstruction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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