Strategy study of harvesting total facial flap and donor choice for allograft transplantation in cadaver / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the operational strategy of harvesting total facial allograft by autopsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve fresh human cadavers were dissected. They were divided into two groups randomly. The total facial-scalp flap of the group I was elevated by the bi-pedicle method, the group II was operated with single-pedicle method. Both were dissected at the deep plane of the SMAS. the time of facial flap harvesting, length of the artery vein and nerve pedicles of the donor were measured and marked, after operation, in each group we transferred one facial allograft to another. Then the free graft of group I was poured through artery by methylthioninium chloride to study vascular territories.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mean harvesting time of the group I (46 +/- 11) minutes, group II (111 +/- 7) minutes, P < 0.01. Perfusion result shows that unilateral superficial temporal artery and the opposite side of the facial artery can supply blood for whole face. The pedicle was long enough for anastomosis. Post-operation appearance the face looks like neither the donor nor the recipient primarily, It's mainly due to the characteristics of the skeleton and the soft tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The bi-pedicle method of the harvesting total facial allograft is concise, fast, safe can be widely applied in clinical.</p>