{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,24]],"date-time":"2026-02-24T07:49:37Z","timestamp":1771919377671,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,26]],"date-time":"2023-09-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1695686400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Free flap reconstruction is the standard of care for extensive defects of the head and neck area. In this study, two types of free flaps, the antero-lateral thigh flap (ALT) and the vastus lateralis muscle flap, were compared. The primary endpoint was flap success, secondary endpoints were complication rates, hospitalization and surgery time. Cases with defect situations of the scalp and consecutive microvascular free flap reconstructions using either ALT flaps or vastus lateralis muscle flaps between 2014 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Indications, perioperative handling and outcomes were compared. Twenty patients were included in the analysis. Ten patients (50%) received a free flap reconstruction using an ALT flap and ten patients (50%) received a vastus lateralis flap. A simultaneous two-team approach was possible in each case and the flap success rate was 100% with the need for one successful anastomosis revision. The mean defect size in our cohort was 147 \u00b1 46 cm2. There were no significant differences in surgery time, duration of hospitalization or complication rate between both cohorts. Both free flaps, the ALT and the vastus lateralis flap, are suitable for the closure of large scalp defects. They provide high success rates, short surgery times without the need for patient repositioning and low donor-site morbidity. The vastus lateralis muscle flap bares the advantage of being perforator-independent and allows for the preparation of long vessels for anastomosis if needed while baring the disadvantage of a prolonged period of healing via granulation or the need for secondary surgery in terms of covering by split-thickness skin grafts which may interfere with necessary adjuvant treatment in oncological patients.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12196208","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,26]],"date-time":"2023-09-26T08:58:17Z","timestamp":1695718697000},"page":"6208","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Comparison of Antero-Lateral Thigh Flap and Vastus Lateralis Muscle Flap for the Treatment of Extensive Scalp Defects\u2014A Retrospective Cohort Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0278-7228","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julius","family":"Moratin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8063-5425","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Philip","family":"Dao Trong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5187-1362","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karl","family":"Semmelmayer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jan","family":"Mrosek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1613-9029","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sven","family":"Zittel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Moritz","family":"Bleymehl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Oliver","family":"Ristow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4289-0457","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Freudlsperger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1322-755X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"J\u00fcrgen","family":"Hoffmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Engel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1226","DOI":"10.1111\/ans.16361","article-title":"Clinical evaluation of rapid 3D print-formed implants for surgical reconstruction of large cranial defects","volume":"91","author":"Kwarcinski","year":"2021","journal-title":"ANZ J. 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