Frontal reconstruction with frontal musculocutaneous V-Y island flap.

BACKGROUND: Defects of the frontal region are mostly caused by the ablation of tumors. When the treatment of such a defect cannot be achieved by the approximation of its margins, some of the solutions may alter the form or the continuity of the frontal aesthetic unit.

METHODS: With the intent of reconstructing frontal defects with proper skin, a musculocutaneous island flap of the frontal belly of the occipitofrontalis muscle based on the supratrochlearis or the supraorbitalis vessels was planned for a V-Y application in a single procedure. It was used in 31 patients.

RESULTS: The treated frontal defects ranged from 1.5 per 1.5 cm to 4.5 per 5.5 cm and, depending on the depth of the resection, exposed periosteum, bone, or dura mater. All the vessels were identified and preserved and the flaps were viable and sufficient for the defects. Three cases presented 1 cm of superficial skin necrosis with spontaneous healing that caused hypochromic scars. In eight patients the extirpation of the tumor compromised the rami temporales of the nervus facialis and caused postoperative asymmetry of the facial mimicking. All the followed patients presented normal sensitivity to touch stimuli on the flap skin and presented loss of sensitivity on the scalp distally to the flap and to the donor site.

CONCLUSION: The frontal musculocutaneous island V-Y flap based on the supratrochlearis or the supraorbitalis vessels is safe and permits frontal reconstruction in a single procedure with proper maintenance of the aesthetic unit.