Axial pattern flap case series highlights tradeoff between reach and risk
Axial pattern flap case series highlights tradeoff between reach and risk
A new retrospective case series in the Journal of Small Animal Practice describes six dogs and cats treated with omocervical axial pattern flaps between 2016 and 2024 for skin defects after mass removal, scar revision, chronic inflammation, or trauma. The multicenter study included four dogs and two cats, and found postoperative complications in all six cases, ranging from minor skin irritation, hematoma, dehiscence, infection, and limited necrosis to one major flap necrosis that required revision surgery. Even so, the authors concluded the flap was effective for reconstructing defects in the orofacial, cervical, shoulder, and axillary regions, with most complications managed conservatively. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinary surgeons, the report adds a small but clinically useful data point on a relatively niche reconstructive option. Omocervical flaps have been described for decades in dogs and in isolated feline cases, especially when other regional flaps may not reach or aren’t feasible. The new series also fits a broader pattern in the literature: axial pattern flaps often carry substantial complication rates, but long-term outcomes can still be acceptable when teams anticipate dehiscence, swelling, seroma, infection, or distal flap necrosis and manage those issues early. That pattern has shown up in other feline flap reports too, including a 14-cat series of lateral caudal axial pattern flaps for caudodorsal trunk defects, where postoperative complications occurred in 50% of cats but were minor when present, and 57.1% healed without complications. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
What to watch: Whether larger multicenter series, or newer perfusion-assessment tools such as near-infrared fluorescence angiography, can help surgeons better predict flap viability and reduce complication rates. More species- and flap-specific datasets in cats would also help clarify when these high-reach flaps are worth the risk. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)