The Facial Artery Perforator Flap for Reconstruction of Perioral Defects

Abstract

The facial artery perforator flap offers a versatile tailor-made flap, because of the reliable presence of perforators, with a large arc of rotation and an aesthetically pleasing donor site. The thin pedicle makes it an ideal flap for one-stage reconstruction without secondary revisions.

Where to find facial artery perforators: A reference point

“…There are many reconstructive options for midface defects but the nasolabial flap and its many variations work well for nasal ala reconstruction and other facial defects 1,2 . Recently however, the use of FAP flaps for such reconstructive work is becoming increasingly common 2,6,8 .…”

“…Most recently, the use of such flaps has facilitated the possibility of one-stage reconstruction instead of the traditional two-(or more) stage technique 1,2 . This has also been reported to provide a much better aesthetic result that is more appealing to the patient.…”

“…Fuelled by the knowledge that single perforators in other parts of the body have been shown to supply large areas of tissue 1 , the concept of facial artery perforator (FAP) flaps was conceived and investigated in order to achieve a greater degree of freedom for reconstructive work. Most recently, the use of such flaps has facilitated the possibility of one-stage reconstruction instead of the traditional two-(or more) stage technique 1,2 .…”

The Mandibular Landmarks about the Facial Artery and Vein with Multidetector Computed Tomography Angiography (MDCTA): an Anatomical and Radiological Morphometric Study

“…Previous studies have shown that there is a racial variation in the origin and the branches patterns of the facial artery (Koh et al, 2003;Nakajima et al, 2002;Niranjan, 1988). Facial vessels are widely used in plastic surgery as the pedicle of some flaps (D'Arpa et al, 2009;Hofer et al, 2005;Joshi et al, 2005;Pribaz et al, 1992;Yamauchi et al, 2010). The flap based on the facial artery could be originated from the proximal or distal portion of the artery.…”

FAP Flap: A Volte Face to Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

“…The dissection is carried out in a plane above that of the muscles of facial expression. FAP flap can be as large as 5 × 5 cm and the donor defect can be closed primarily [2].…”