What is a pedicle flap or graft?
A pedicle graft, also known as a pedicle flap, is a section of skin and its underlying subcutaneous tissue and/or muscle that is shifted from one area to cover an open wound or defect. The word ‘pedicle’ refers to the fact that the flap’s blood supply is never divided. A free flap, on the other hand, is a graft in which the blood supply is completely divided and reattached. Free flaps require specialized skill in microvascular surgery.