Pedicled Flaps

Pedicled flaps PMMC, deltopectoral, supraclavicular

Reliable Flaps for Soft-Tissue Coverage

Pedicled flaps transfer skin, muscle, and/or fascia from a nearby region—while keeping their native blood supply intact—to cover head-and-neck defects without microsurgical vessel anastomosis. Common options include:

  • Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous (PMMC) Flap: robust muscle and skin paddle ideal for large cervicofacial defects.
  • Deltopectoral Flap: thin, pliable skin based on perforators of the internal mammary system, suited for pharyngeal or facial lining.
  • Supraclavicular Flap: thin fasciocutaneous flap with excellent color match for lower face and neck reconstruction.

Personalized Treatment Plan:

After imaging to assess defect size and location, Dr. Singhavi chooses the flap that best balances reliability and donor-site preservation. Under general anesthesia:

  1. Flap Design & Harvest – Incisions are planned along natural creases; the pedicle is dissected carefully to preserve vascular integrity.
  2. Tunnel Creation – A subcutaneous tunnel is fashioned to reach the recipient site without tension on the pedicle.
  3. Flap Inset – The tissue is draped to fill the defect, ensuring adequate lining or external coverage.
  4. Donor-Site Closure – Primary closure or skin grafting as needed.

Patients receive antibiotics and analgesics postoperatively, with early mobilization to prevent shoulder stiffness.

Benefits :

  • Shorter Operative Time: No microsurgical anastomosis, reducing complexity.
  • High Reliability: Native blood supply remains intact throughout transfer.
  • Good Tissue Match: Color and texture similarity for facial and pharyngeal reconstruction.
  • Lower Resource Requirement: Suited for patients who may not tolerate longer microsurgical procedures.