Scalp Reconstruction

Scalp reconstruction is a surgical procedure to repair partial or full thickness defects of the scalp, which may be congenital, such as aplasia cutis congenita or a vascular malformation, or acquired from burns, trauma, tumor removal, infection, or radiation damage. Because the scalp's convex shape and inelastic layers make simple wound closure difficult, surgeons follow a reconstructive ladder based on the size of the defect: small defects under three centimeters may be closed directly, while larger ones require local or regional flaps such as a trapezius flap, a skin graft for surface coverage alone, or a free flap for the most complex defects. Basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, about eighty percent of which occur in the head and neck, are expected to increase demand for this kind of reconstruction.