Background: Old but solid gold. This is the first thing
that comes to our mind when we hear the word “Groin Flap".
The inimitable flap holds the advantages of being easily
harvested with a relatively concealed donor site and very low
morbidity.
Recently, the goals of reconstruction have rapidly progressed
from merely filling a hole to providing an improved
function, pleasing aesthetic outcome and minimal to no donor
site morbidity. Compared to the bulky conventional groin
flap, the Superficial Circumflex Iliac artery Flap perforator
(SCIP) fulfills the later requirements by being an already thin
flap upon harvest, that doesn't require further de-bulking.
This yields thin, pliable tissue with a well-concealed
donor site scar and minimal donor site morbidity.
In the current study, we represent our experience in using
the SCIP flap for various defects of the hand due to different
etiologies.
Methods: Twenty SCIP flaps were raised superficial to
the breaching fascia to cover various defects of the hand and
distal forearm during the period of June 2018 to June 2019.
Accordingly, with the preservation of the fascia, the flap relies
wholly on the superficial branch of the superficial circumflex
iliac artery, along with the sub-dermal plexus, sparing the
deep branch.
Results: Twenty patients (14 males and 6 females) with
various injuries to the hand were treated with supra-fascial
groin SCIP flap.
- The mean age was 26.9 years (range 8-50 years, SD 10.70).
- Mean BMI was 27.56Kg/m2 (20-30 Kg/m2, SD 5).
Supra-fascial flaps were taken as large as (10cm x 20cm).
Mean operative time was 3.05 hours (±0.83), and mean followup < br />was eight months (6-12 months, SD 2.1).
All injuries did not require further flap thinning or
refashioning.
Conclusion: SCIP flap with its supra-fascial dissection
can be safely used as an alternative to the conventional groin
flap. With its thin nature, better flap in-setting is obtained,
the aesthetic outcome is more pleasant and the need for further
revisionary debulking surgeries is almost eliminated.