SCALP RECONSTRUCTION: EXPERIENCE OF 50 PATIENTS AT TERTIARY LEVEL CENTRE IN INDIA

NTRODUCTION Scalp possesses unique anatomical & aesthetic features and occupies the most prominent part of the body. Scalp defects are neither easy to look at or to reconstruct. The factors influencing decision making in the repair of scalp defects are their size, depth and location. Various reconstructive options include primary closure, skin grafts, trephination, local tissue aps with or without tissue expansion, regional myocutaneous ap and microvascular free ap. A successful reconstruction surgery must result in less morbidity, good aesthetic appearance, decreased hospitalization time, preserving the hairline without violating the body contour. METHODS Study was conducted in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, SMS Hospital, Jaipur, India. A sample size of 50 patients From September 2019 to march 2021, requiring scalp reconstruction procedures was taken. All the details of the patient that were relevant to the study were collected during the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods and during follow which was later analyzed. RESULTS The most common cause of scalp defect was excision of malignant tumour (40%). Surgical reconstruction using rotational and transposition ap was done in 37 patients (74%).In 5 cases (10%) reconstruction done using free ap. The recovery was relatively quick in all cases. In 2 cases (4%) partial ap necrosis occur which was managed conservatively. CONCLUSION An aesthetically pleasing scalp reconstruction requires a precise preoperative planning with detailed knowledge of scalp anatomy and blood supply. The wide armamentarium of techniques for reconstruction allows the plastic surgeon to give a much pleasing nal result and his creativity on the table added to all these elements together can give a satisfactory result for the patient.