Title: Closing circular defects, after cancerous skin removal: six new skin flaps, and a new five-point corner suture

Authors: George N. Sgouros

Addresses: "Metaxa" Cancer Hospital, Department of Dermatology, 51 Botasi Street, Piraeus 18537, Athens, Greece; "Attikon" University Hospital, Department of Dermatology, 1 Rimini Street, Haidari 12462, Athens, Greece

Abstract: For replacement of a skin defect after total removal of cutaneous cancer, flaps from the surrounding healthy skin tissue are chosen (not graft) that have the same colour, texture and depth for secure covering of the defect. Usually, skin cancer defects are more or less circular in shape and according to Celsus, the great Roman physician of the 1st century, relative to other shapes, round defects are the most difficult to close. In this paper, we propose six new skin flap procedures (for the first time in literature) for circular defects in different anatomic sites and non-elastic areas of the body, as alternatives to rotation flaps, after we applied the procedures on primarily older patients often receiving anticoagulants. The new methods facilitate blood supply for the survival of the flaps and greatly improve the patient's quality of life. Hopefully, the new procedures will be beneficial to skin cancer patients and, as the frequency of applications rises, continue to improve as techniques.

Keywords: skin cancer; circular defects; surgical repair; alternative procedures; patient comfort; secure replacement; cosmetic surgery.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2021.118788

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2021 Vol.7 No.4, pp.241 - 263

Received: 07 Mar 2021
Accepted: 22 Apr 2021
Published online: 06 Nov 2021 *

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