J Korean Assoc Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg.  2013 May;35(3):200-209.

Application of Perforator Flap for the Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction

• Kim SM
• Oh JS
• Kang JY
• Myoung H
• Lee JH

Abstract

Over the past few years, a large number of perforator flaps have been revised by several microsurgeons in the USA, France, Canada and Japan. A perforator flap is a flap of skin or subcutaneous tissue that is based on the dissection of a perforating vessel, which is a perforator. In short, a perforator is a vessel that has its origin in one of the axial vessels of the human body. By reducing any muscle harvesting and trauma to a minimum, perforator flaps aim to minimize donor site morbidity, and by avoiding the transfer of dennervated muscle, the long-term bulk of the free tissue transfer becomes more predictable. There are a finite number of potential perforator flaps in the body, which are based on the named source arteries. The most commonly used perforator flaps are deep inferior epigastric perforator, superior gluteal artery perforator, thoraco dorsal artery perforator, medial sural artery perforator, and anterolateral thigh perforator flap. For a better understanding of perforators as a routine reconstructive procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery, the definition with nomenclature, classifications with special characteristics, and review points for their individual applications must be learned and memorized by the young doctors in the course regarding the special curriculum periods for the Korean national board of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Perforator flaps have been known to have many advantages, so this review article summarized their applications to the maxillofacial reconstruction in the Korean language.

Keyword

Deep inferior epigastric perforator; Superior gluteal artery perforator; Thoraco dorsal artery perforator; Anterolateral thigh perforator; Perforators

MeSH Terms

Arteries
Canada
Curriculum
France
Glycosaminoglycans
Human Body
Humans
Japan
Muscles
Organic Chemicals
Perforator Flap
Skin
Subcutaneous Tissue
Surgery, Oral
Thigh
Tissue Donors
Glycosaminoglycans
Organic Chemicals