A new technique for correction of dog-ear in scalp flaps

Trauma, burn, neoplastic resections, congenital lesions and etc. cause scalp defects. Full thickness involvement or bone exposure needs coverage with vascularized tissues or flap. Repairing with local flaps causes dog ears. This problem is more prevalent in the base of the transposition scalp flaps. Dog-ear in trunk or extremities can be repaired in the same surgery but in scalp due to possibility of pedicle injury, correction of dog-ear is postponed to second stage. This article explains a new technique to repair dog-ear of scalp flap in the first surgery without injury to neurovascular plexus of the flap. This retrospective study consisted of 16 male patients with scalp defects. The dog-ear of the scalp flaps was corrected by this technique. At first the skin and subcutaneous layers were removed. Galea and neurovascular plexus were preserved, next galea was plicated under the flap and skin defect was repaired. The mean age of patients was 40 years. The mean size of defects was 190 cm. No complication or necrosis was detected during follow up period of at least 6 month. This technique is suggested for dog-ear correction in scalp flaps without sacrifice of neurovascular bundles and in the same surgery.