Tissue Flap Reconstruction
San Francisco

Tissue flap reconstruction can be utilized over any part of the body where tissue has been lost. This type of reconstruction is generally considered to repair defects left by trauma or after mastectomies. Flaps come from many different locations on the body and can comprise various types of tissue. These flaps can then be used in many ways to accomplish the desired reconstruction effect. Flaps are differentiated as free or pedicled. That is, a free-flap is a piece of tissue removed from the original blood supply while a pedicled-flap is still attached to the body by its original blood supply.

Sometimes a flap will be comprised of skin and fatty tissue while other flaps include muscle or even muscle alone. As with limb salvage, utilizing a free flap for reconstruction generally requires coordinate team care from various medical specialties to optimize outcomes. Our San Francisco tissue flap reconstruction experts at Pacific Plastic Surgery Group have extensive experience utilizing a variety of flaps for breast or trauma related injuries including but not limited to DIEP, TRAM, latissimus Dorsi, ALT, pectoralis, and omentum flaps.