Trapezius fasciocutaneous flap for burn reconstruction

• Published in: Ear, nose, & throat journal Vol. 103; no. 8; pp. 487 - 489
• Main Authors: Nasrollahi, Tasha, Borrelli, Michela, Salehi, Katrin, Hopp, Martin L., Alessi, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2024; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Burns; Burns - surgery; Case reports; Contracture - etiology; Contracture - surgery; Face; Facial Injuries - surgery; Female; Humans; Myocutaneous Flap - transplantation; Neck Injuries - surgery; Plastic Surgery Procedures - methods; Reconstructive surgery; Scars; Skin & tissue grafts; Skin Transplantation - methods; Superficial Back Muscles - transplantation; Surgical outcomes; Surgical techniques; scar contracture; burn reconstruction; fascial cutaneous; trapezius fasciocutaneous
• ISSN: 0145-5613; 1942-7522; 1942-7522
• DOI: 10.1177/01455613211066659

This case involves a 30-year-old female who suffered extensive facial burns as an outcome of a horrific assault. The patient subsequently underwent 2 surgeries with the ultimate goal of reducing the cosmetic, physical, and thus mental burden the assault caused. The technique of choice was the novel trapezius fasciocutaneous flap for burn reconstruction of the neck. It is discussed that while this technique is still deemed a novel procedure, its unique characteristics make it an excellent choice for cases similar to this one. While this approach has not been widely popularized in the treatment of patients with burn contracture requiring reconstruction, the donor site characteristics and ideal functionality make the trapezius fasciocutaneous flap such an excellent choice. This particular type of graft yields a hidden donor site, contains rich vascularity with physical qualities similar to those of facial skin, specifically in regard to thickness, color, and texture, and ultimately produces the most ideal cometic outcome. Further, the wide arc of rotation unique to this flap allows for better manipulation and mobility at the transplanted location. While the anatomic implications are very relevant to head and neck surgery, this method also produces exemplary cosmetic outcomes when compared to other graft procedures.