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Transposition Flaps

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Evidence-Based Procedural Dermatology

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Abstract

Transposition flaps facilitate repair of a range of defects in anatomic locations with minimal inherent skin laxity, such as the nose. These flaps have the ability to reorient tension vectors and thus are particularly useful for avoiding distortion of free margins such as the alar rim or eyelid margin. Reservoirs with ample skin laxity are recruited in circumstances where primary closure or a sliding flap is not viable options due to tension at the primary defect. In patients who are at risk for bleeding, transposition flaps are ideal as less undermining is needed compared to sliding flaps. Core principles of successful transposition flap development are elaborated in Fig. 6.1.

Common transposition flaps include:

  • Rhombic (single lobed).

  • Bilobed.

  • Trilobed.

  • Nasolabial flaps.

A discussion of the indications, technique, efficacy, and alternatives for each of these transposition flaps will be presented in this chapter.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Ian Maher

  2. Department of Dermatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA

    Ashley McWilliams

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  1. Ian Maher
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  2. Ashley McWilliams
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Correspondence to Ashley McWilliams .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Murad Alam

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Maher, I., McWilliams, A. (2019). Transposition Flaps. In: Alam, M. (eds) Evidence-Based Procedural Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02023-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02023-1_6

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-02023-1

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