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J Reconstr Microsurg Open 2016; 01(01): 053-055
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1570508
Letter to the Editor: Short Report
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Free Flap Protection with Halo Ring in the Occipital Scalp Region

Andreas Engel Krag
1   Department of Plastic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
,
Birgitte Jul Kiil
1   Department of Plastic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
,
Jens Jakob Riis
2   Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
,
Gorm Burckhard von Oettingen
2   Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
,
Gete Toft Eschen
1   Department of Plastic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

08 August 2015

27 September 2015

Publication Date:
18 January 2016 (online)

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Free flaps are applied to scalp and calvarial defects when local flap coverage is inadequate. Commonly used flaps are the free latissimus dorsi muscle flap and the free anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap.[1] [2]

Flap coverage of nonfrontal scalp regions is at risk of flap and pedicle compression, when patients are supine. This results in difficult patient positioning with risk of partial or complete flap necrosis. Hence, we have introduced perioperative halo ring placement on the reconstructed scalps, to avoid pressure on the flaps in the early postoperative weeks.

The PMT Model 1200 Series Halo (PMT Corporation, Chanhassen, MN), medium size, was applied reverted with the opening anteriorly. The ring is fixated on the skull with usually four titanium pins. Three consecutive cases are presented below with perioperative halo ring placement in microsurgical scalp reconstruction.

 

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