Combination purse-string, bipedicle flap a strong repair option for scalp defects after Mohs

SAN DIEGO — An award-winning poster presented here at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting highlighted research on a combined purse-string and bipedicle flap technique for the repair of scalp defects after Mohs surgery.

Researchers Faranak Kamangar, MD, and Kenny Omlin, MD, created an original technique using a combination of an intradermal purse-string suture technique with a bipedicle flap for the repair of a variety of scalp defects and studied the technique in a group of 27 patients.

All of the patients underwent Mohs surgery for the removal of squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma involving the scalp, including the frontal, parietal and occipital regions.

Defect size ranged between 1 cm × 1 cm and 8.3 cm × 3.2 cm, and all patients underwent immediate repair using the purse-string bipedicle repair technique.

Kamangar and Omlin found the centralized vector forces created by the purse-string stitch resulted in a significant decrease in primary defect size. The purse-string bipedicle procedure also allowed for further tissue mobility and complete closure of the surgical defect.

Benefits associated with the combination technique included excellent aesthetic outcomes, minimal operative time, technical ease and minimal patient morbidity, according to the researchers.

Reference:

Kamangar F. The purse-string bipedicle combination flap for the repair of scalp defects following Mohs surgery. Presented at: American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting. Nov. 6-9, 2014; San Diego.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.