A Novel Technique for Umbilical Reconstruction Using Four Transposition Flaps

Abstract

The umbilicus is of paramount aesthetic importance for the abdomen, and its absence can be psychologically distressing to patients for cosmetic reasons. An aesthetically-pleasing umbilicus tends to be small and vertically oriented in nature, with superior hooding and shadow, inferior retraction and slope, and a position at the topmost level of the iliac crest. A 42-year-old woman had undergone delayed breast reconstruction using a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap. Unfortunately, the patient developed umbilical necrosis following surgery. She underwent complete surgical debridement, which resulted in a large vertical scar. Delayed umbilical reconstruction was performed with four transposition flaps. The patient underwent follow-up at 11 months postoperatively, and the umbilicus had a satisfactory appearance. This case shows that using four transposition flaps can yield sufficient depth and an aesthetically pleasing shape for the umbilicus.

Keywords

• abdominoplasty
• surgical flaps
• umbilicus