Free-Flap Monitoring Using a Chimeric Sentinel Muscle Perforator Flap

Abstract

Muscle perforator flaps have become an important resource for the creation of cutaneous flaps based on musculocutaneous perforators, but without inclusion of the involved muscle. As a chimeric flap with or without the muscle, the cutaneous perforator flap can specifically serve as a sentinel or monitoring flap to allow the early detection of anastomotic compromise involving the common source vessel, without the need for direct observation of the major free-flap component. This can be a valuable adjunctive use of muscle perforator flaps for the continuous assessment of free muscle flaps or as an exteriorized flap for the monitoring of buried free flaps.