Super-Thin Flaps

Abstract

The concept of thin flaps vascularized by subdermal vascular network was first described by Situ [1] in 1986; since then, various types of super-thin flaps have been applied successfully in China and Japan. Basic researches were also performed to better explain the excessive survival mechanism [2–5]. The authors have developed these thin flaps that are called “super-thin flaps,” which was first reported in 1994 [6]. Based on these successful clinical uses, supercharged super-thin flaps [7] and preexpanded super-thin flaps [8] were also reported and are widely used. Our ultimate goal, namely, the development of “thin and reliable flaps” is a unifying principle between “super-thin flaps” and perforator flaps.