What is a pedicle graft or flap?
A pedicle graft, sometimes called a flap, consists of a segment of skin and underlying fatty (subcutaneous) tissue, which is shifted from one area to close another requiring a soft, thicker covering. Unlike the free graft which is thin and completely detached, the pedicle graft or flap remains attached at one end to its donor area, from which it continues to receive its blood supply until it completely unites to the new location. A flap may cover a local adjacent area, or reach the recipient site from a distance, such as from one calf to the opposite leg. This will, of course, necessitate a second operation to release it from the donor area after it has acquired a blood supply from its new location. In recent years, the development of myocutaneous (skin and muscle) flaps has made many of the traditional skin flaps obsolete, especially those that require multiple operations to move large amounts of skin to a distant part of the body. In the case of myocutaneous flaps, the skin receives
A pedicle graft also called a flap, consists of a segment of skin, underlying subcutaneous tissue and/or muscle which is shifted from one area to an open wound or defect for coverage of that wound. The word pedicle means that the blood supply to the flap is never divided. When the blood supply is completely divided and reattached this is called a free flap, and requires specialized skill in microvascular surgery.
