CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg 2022; 55(04): 321-330
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1740529
Prof. Mira Sen (Banerjee) CME Article

Propeller Flaps

Nikhil Panse
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, B. J. Government Medical, College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
,
Ankur Karanjkar
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, B. J. Government Medical, College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

A propeller flap is an islanded flap that reaches the recipient site through an axial rotation around its vascular axis. The degree of rotation varies from 90 degrees to 180 degrees. It is a highly reliable local reconstructive option. These flaps are simple, single-stage, easy to harvest, and not constrained by routine length-to-width ratios. Since their introduction, the technique has continued to evolve and more applications for the use of propeller flaps are being explored. In spite of their growing use in clinical practice in recent years, many reconstructive surgeons are unaware of their versatility, unsure of their safety, and apprehensive about using propeller flaps confidently. This article aims at understanding the nomenclature, key principles, biogeometry and planning, operative technical details, applications, and complications of propeller flaps.



Publication History

Article published online:
18 July 2022

© 2022. Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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