GRAFTS AND FLAPS PANORAMIC REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Skin grafts over time have progressed to present multiple well-established reconstructive techniques that are remarkably capable of restoring structure, function, and aesthetics to a myriad of surgical wounds. Muscle and myocutaneous flaps are common reconstructive alternatives for individuals with acquired oncologic or traumatic defects. Knowledge of flap anatomy and surgical techniques is paramount for surgeons who practice them to achieve the best results. Objective: to detail current information related to grafts and flaps; definition, description, classification, characteristics, indications and techniques. Methodology: a total of 33 articles were analyzed in this review, including review and original articles, as well as clinical cases, of which 20 bibliographies were used because the other articles were not relevant to this study. The sources of information were PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane; the terms used to search for information in Spanish, Portuguese and English were: flaps, grafts, skin, wounds, surgical reconstruction, skin transfers. Results: skin grafting is a basic technique and a widely used reconstruction option in surgery, following tumor resection, ulcers, as well as in burned individuals. Graft retraction is inversely proportional to graft thickness. The graft should globally correspond to the loss of substance to be covered. When planning myocutaneous flaps, knowing the vascular territories of each source artery, or angiosome, allows proper design of the skin island. Unlike fasciocutaneous flaps, muscle and myocutaneous flaps tolerate ischemia poorly, and any concerns about flap ischemia necessitate a timely return to the operating room for exploration. Conclusions: Recognizing when, where and how to perform a graft or flap is of vital importance for the correct management of the affected individual. The surgical fundamentals and associated factors must be well known to achieve the best performance and achieve the best results in patients. Both grafts and flaps have their indications that must be adapted to the patient in question. It is necessary to emphasize that it is necessary to differentiate perfectly between the graft and the flap, analyzing their peculiarities, different uses and possible complications. Grafts are devoid of any vascular connection, while flaps depend on the vascularization of the recipient wound bed to survive. KEY WORDS: flaps, grafts, skin, wounds, reconstruction, transfers, surgery.