Salvage of a free flap by cephalic suspension with Tessier's diadem

Received 6 March 2008; accepted 29 April 2009. published online 18 June 2009.

Summary

The authors present a case of a patient with a large occipital meningioma, treated by embolisation and surgery, in which skin necrosis occurred overlying the craniotomy bone flap.

A free Latissimus dorsi flap was used to cover the tissue loss but poor healing and flap condition occurred due to contact with the anti-sore bed system making it impossible to maintain the patient on dorsal position.

A cephalic suspension was carried out by Tessier's diadem making it possible to salvage the flap and to treat the patient.

Keywords: free flap, embolisation, salvage, Latissimus dorsi

1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr J-F Compère), Medical University of Caen, France

2 Department of Neurosurgery (Head: Prof. Dr Derlon), Medical University of Caen, France

Hervé BENATEAU, MD, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Caen, Avenue Côte de Nacre, 14033 CAEN Cedex, France. Tel.: +33 2 3106 4989.

PII: S1010-5182(09)00080-8

doi:10.1016/j.jcms.2009.04.008

17 of 21