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Skin expansion is a common surgical technique to correct large cutaneous defects. Selecting a successful expansion protocol is solely based on the experience and personal preference of the operating surgeon. Skin expansion could be improved by predictive computational simulations. Towards this goal, we model skin expansion using the continuum framework of finite growth. This approach crucially relies on the concept of incompatible configurations. However, aside from the classical opening angle experiment, our current understanding of growth-induced incompatibilities remains rather vague. Here we visualize and characterize incompatibilities in living systems using skin expansion in a porcine model: We implanted and inflated two expanders, crescent, and spherical, and filled them to 225 cc throughout a period of 21 days. To quantify the residual strains developed during this period, we excised the expanded skin patches and subdivided them into smaller pieces. Skin growth averaged 1.17 times the original area for the spherical and 1.10 for the crescent expander, and displayed significant regional variations. When subdivided into smaller pieces, the grown skin patches retracted heterogeneously and confirmed the existence of incompatibilities. Understanding skin growth through mechanical stretch will allow surgeons to improve— and ultimately personalize—preoperative treatment planning in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) can occur in the setting of an unrepaired or repaired cleft lip and palate. The rate of VPI has been documented as high as 33% in some studies with higher rates of recurrences following surgery associated with genetic syndromes such as 22q11.2 deletions. The primary cause of VPI in these groups is still identified as the anatomic abnormalities of the velum. In this review, the anatomy and physiology of the velum are discussed along with genetic mutations associated with VPI.

BACKGROUND The partner hospital model identifies hospitals in the developing world to educate and enable local surgeons to deliver effective cleft care. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of this model on safety, education, and quality of surgical care. METHODS Twelve partner hospitals, sponsored by Smile Train for 5 or more years and distributed over 4 continents, were selected. Activities at each institution were evaluated using cleft surgical data, and surveys were completed by hospital leadership. RESULTS A mean of 82% of cleft patients at partner hospitals underwent sponsored surgeries. After partnership, all 12 hospitals implemented preoperative checklists for cleft surgery, and 5 implemented checklists for other surgeries. All hospitals had personnel who received safety training as a result of partnership. There was no change in 30-day reoperations or readmissions. Follow-up rate increased by 18% (P = 0.03). Facilities recruited 1.8 additional cleft surgeons (P < 0.01) and increased the number of cleft surgical trainees by a mean of 13.3 annually (P = 0.012); 2.5 ± 1.7 additional ancillary services were added, resulting in 75% of partner hospitals having a basic multidisciplinary cleft team (surgery, speech, and dental) compared with 25% prior to partnership (P < 0.01). Total cleft surgeries, alveolar bone grafts, and percentage of secondary surgeries increased significantly as length of partnership progressed (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Smile Train's partner hospital model increases both the volume and quality of cleft care delivered at these institutions. Safety initiatives for cleft care demonstrate effects extending to global surgical care delivered at partner hospitals.

BACKGROUND Orbital exenteration is a significant reconstructive challenge for plastic surgeons. Options described for these defects range from healing by secondary intention to free tissue transfer. The authors present our preferred reconstruction of orbital defects with free forearm-based flaps, which provides quality soft tissue and orbital contouring in 1 stage to consistently allow placement of bone-anchored implants for eventual orbital prosthesis. METHODS This conical shape of the orbit is deconstructed into a "Pac-Man" type shaped flap that leaves adequate depth for a prosthesis. A retrospective chart review was performed of 2 separate patients receiving orbital exenteration reconstruction by the senior author (MFE). RESULTS Two patients presented with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the orbit. Both patients underwent nonlid sparing orbital exenteration with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. Each patient subsequently developed delayed wound healing after prior local flap reconstruction. Vascularized radial forearm flaps in a Pac-Man shape were used in both patients. Both patients were discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 3. No partial or total flap loss was encountered. To date, each patient has undergone planning for osseointegrated implants. CONCLUSION The authors present a simplified method of orbital reconstruction that provides high-quality vascularized tissue for resurfacing in 1 stage. This type of open-cavity flap reconstruction avoids the need for flap debulking procedures and facilitates 2-stage placement of osseointegrated implants.

Tissue expansion is a popular technique in plastic and reconstructive surgery that grows skin in vivo for correction of large defects such as burns and giant congenital nevi. Despite its widespread use, planning and executing an expansion protocol is challenging due to the difficulty in measuring the deformation imposed at each inflation step and over the length of the procedure. Quantifying the deformation fields is crucial, as the distribution of stretch over time determines the rate and amount of skin grown at the end of the treatment. In this manuscript, we present a method to study tissue expansion in order to gain quantitative knowledge of the deformations induced during an expansion process. This experimental protocol incorporates multi-view stereo and isogeometric kinematic analysis in a porcine model of tissue expansion. Multi-view stereo allows three-dimensional geometric reconstruction from uncalibrated sequences of images. The isogeometric kinematic analysis uses splines to describe the regional deformations between smooth surfaces with few mesh points. Our protocol has the potential to bridge the gap between basic scientific inquiry regarding the mechanics of skin expansion and the clinical setting. Eventually, we expect that the knowledge gained with our methodology will enable treatment planning using computational simulations of skin deformation in a personalized manner.

BACKGROUND: Biologic mesh is commonly used in abdominal wall reconstruction but may result in increased hernia recurrence. There are minimal data on repair of these recurrent hernias. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 24 patients presenting to a single surgeon with recurrent ventral hernia, previously repaired with biologic mesh. RESULTS: Seventeen of 24 study patients underwent open repair, including 5 revisions of incomplete external oblique release. Mesh was polypropylene in 11 patients and fenestrated condensed polytetrafluoroethylene in 3 patients. In 1 patient, no mesh was used. In 2 patients, bridged biologic mesh was used because of risk of exposure. All biologic repairs have since recurred. Complications occurred in 3 of 15 prosthetic mesh patients and in all biologic mesh patients. CONCLUSIONS: Prior components release can be repeated if computed tomography scan reveals incomplete release. Recurrence is common after bridged biologic mesh repair. Conventional mesh can be used safely in many recurrent abdominal hernias after biologic mesh failure.

Background: Localized nerve pain in the foot and ankle can be a chronic source of disability after trauma and has been identified as the most common complication following operative interventions in the foot and ankle. The superficial location of the injured nerves and lack of suitable tissue for nerve implantation make this pain refractory to conventional methods of neuroma management. We describe a novel strategy for management using processed nerve allografts to bridge nerve gaps created by resection of both end neuromas and neuromas-in-continuity. Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed of all patients who received a processed nerve allograft for treatment of painful neuromas in the foot and ankle between May 2010 and June 2015. Patient demographic and operative information was obtained, as well as preoperative and postoperative pain assessments using a conventional ordinal scale and PROMIS (Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Pain Behavior and Pain Interference assessments. Twenty-two patients were identified, with postoperative pain assessments occurring at a mean of 15.5 months after surgery. Results: Neuromas of the sural and superficial peroneal nerves were the most common diagnoses, with 3-cm nerve allografts being used as the interposition graft in the majority of cases. Eight patients had end neuromas and 18 patients had neuromas in continuity. Analysis of paired data demonstrated a mean ordinal pain score decrease of 2.6, with 24 and 31 percentage-point decreases in PROMIS Pain Behavior and Pain Interference measures, respectively. All changes were significant ( P < .002). Conclusion: The painful sequelae of superficial nerve injuries in the foot and ankle was significantly improved with complete excision of the involved nerve segment followed by bridging of the resulting nerve gap with a processed nerve allograft. This approach limits surgery to the site of injury and reconstitutes the peripheral nerve anatomy. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.

Growing numbers of men are presenting for consultation and potential postbariatric body contouring surgery. Due to concerns about whether men might have increased rates of complications or dissatisfaction with aesthetic surgery, the authors assessed their clinical experience with male patients.The authors examined male patients in their prospective database who had undergone body-contouring surgery. Chi-square analysis, regression analysis, and a binary logistic regression model were used to study categorical variables, surgical outcomes, continuous variables, and significant factors. Odds ratios were calculated.Of 481 patients, 48 (10 percent) were male. There were no significant differences in baseline comorbidities between the genders, except that women had a higher incidence of anxiety/depression. Men had a greater weight loss before body-contouring surgery, but this did not correlate with greater operative time or estimated blood loss. Male gender, however, was associated with a 14.6 percent incidence of postoperative hematoma and a 25 percent incidence of seroma, in contrast to female gender, with 3.5 and 13 percent, respectively. Logistic regression showed that male gender was associated with an increased incidence of hematoma, seroma, and postoperative complications. It was an independent risk factor for hematoma and seroma formation, with odds ratios of 3.76 and 2.65, respectively. Gender was not an independent predictor of wound dehiscence, flap loss, transfusion, or surgical-site infection.Men who are considering body-contouring surgery should be advised that they are at an increased risk of postoperative hematoma and seroma formation. The causal relationship between gender and postoperative complications is an area for further study.Risk, II.

Patients receiving drug-eluting coronary stents (DES) require antiplatelet therapy for at least 12 months to prevent stent thrombosis (ST), a potentially calamitous event. Since interruption of antiplatelet therapy is the greatest risk factor for ST, it is imperative that the decision to discontinue these agents be based on an accurate assessment of the patient’s risk for bleeding complications. Individuals who are regarded as being at a high risk are those undergoing intracranial, spinal or intraocular surgeries. These patients require alternative agents during the perioperative period to minimize both their risk of perioperative thrombosis and intraoperative hemorrhage. We report the case of a woman who required spinal surgery 3 months after she underwent placement of two drug-eluting stents. The patient’s clopidogrel was stopped 5 days prior to surgery and an infusion of eptifibatide was used to “bridge” antiplatelet therapy during the perioperative period. Postoperatively, anticoagulation therapy was reinstituted using aspirin with clopidogrel. This case serves as a successful example of bridging therapy using a short acting and gycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitor as a means of maintaining antiplatelet therapy during the perioperative period to minimize the risk of stent thrombosis and the risk of intraoperative bleeding.

Traditional abdominoplasty techniques often fail to adequately correct the complex contour deformities in the massive weight loss patient. To address these deformities, addition of a vertical skin resection to the traditional horizontal excision has become a popular procedure. The authors analyzed the impact of vertical (fleur-de-lis) excision on complications when compared with traditional transverse excision.A review of massive weight loss patients enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective registry was performed on consecutive patients undergoing abdominoplasty by a single surgeon. Patients were included if they underwent at least 50 pounds of weight loss. Demographic information, procedural data, and outcome measures were studied. Logistic regression and t tests were performed to analyze differences in complication rates for both procedures and identify risk factors for complications.Four hundred ninety-nine patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 154 (31 percent) had a fleur-de-lis vertical component. The overall abdominal complication rate for all patients was 26.3 percent, with a 5.0 percent rate of major complications. Transverse-only and fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty had similar rates of complications with the exception of a higher rate of wound infection in the fleur-de-lis group on multivariate analysis. Risk factors for abdominal wound complications with either procedure included male sex, high body mass index, concurrent component separation, and previous subcostal scars.Fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty can be safely performed with complication rates comparable to those of traditional abdominoplasty techniques. Ideal candidates are patients with upper abdominal skin laxity who may not achieve an adequate aesthetic result with transverse-only excision.

BACKGROUND Most cranial vault remodeling for craniosynostosis is associated with substantial blood loss necessitating transfusion. The transfusion of over 25 ml/kg of red blood cells has long been considered an important safety threshold and has been proposed as a potential marker of health care quality, despite a lack of evidence. The authors sought to ascertain risk factors for transfusion in cranial vault remodeling and to quantify the effect of transfusion volume on postoperative complications. METHODS Patients who underwent complex cranial vault remodeling for craniosynostosis were identified from the Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Multivariate regression models were used to identify independent risk factors for transfusion and to assess its impact on subsequent outcomes. RESULTS One thousand fifty-nine patients met inclusion criteria. Seven hundred seventy-seven patients (73.4 percent) required a transfusion and 520 patients (49.1 percent) required a transfusion in excess of 25 ml/kg. Neither transfusion nor transfusion volume in excess of 25 ml/kg had a significant effect on postoperative outcomes. Therefore, the authors sought to determine a more meaningful threshold. The top 20 percent of transfusion volumes were greater than or equal to 45.28 ml/kg. Recursive partitioning generated a threshold of 62.52 ml/kg, which independently predicted a greater number of complications and was associated with higher odds ratios than the quintile method. A threshold of 60 ml/kg was chosen for simplicity and was independently predictive of overall complications, medical complications, and increased length of stay. CONCLUSIONS Transfusion is common in complex cranial vault remodeling. Currently described occurrence thresholds do not accurately convey postoperative risk. Transfusion in excess of 60 ml/kg significantly increases risk for complications and length of stay in cranial vault remodeling.

Background The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap has gained notoriety because of its proposed benefit in decreasing donor-site morbidity but has been associated with longer operative times, higher perfusion-related complications, and increased cost relative to muscle-sparing free transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps. The authors performed the first cost-utility analysis examining the cost effectiveness of DIEP flaps relative to muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps in women who underwent mastectomy. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted using the MED- LINE, Embase, and Cochrane library databases to include studies directly comparing DIEP to muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps in matched patient cohorts. Eight studies were included, examining 740 DIEP flaps and 807 muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps. Costs were derived adopting both societal and third-party payer perspectives. Utilities were derived from a previous cost-utility analysis. Probabilities of clinically relevant complications were combined with cost and utility estimates to fit into a decision tree analysis. Results The overall complication rates were 24.7 percent and 21.8 percent for DIEP and muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps, respectively. The authors' baseline analysis using Medicare reimbursement revealed a cost decrease of $69.42 and a clinical benefit of 0.0035 quality-adjusted life-year when performing DIEP flap surgery relative to muscle-sparing free TRAM flap surgery, yielding an incremental cost-utility ratio of -$19,834.29. When using societal costs, the incremental cost-utility ratio increased to $87,800. Conclusion DIEP flaps are cost effective relative to muscle-sparing free TRAM flaps when patients are carefully selected based on perforator anatomy and surgery is performed by experienced surgeons.

Skin expansion delivers newly grown skin that maintains histological and mechanical features of the original tissue. Although it is the gold standard for cutaneous defect correction today, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we present a novel technique to quantify anisotropic prestrain, deformation, and growth in a porcine skin expansion model. Building on our recently proposed method, we combine two novel technologies, multi-view stereo and isogeometric analysis, to characterize skin kinematics: Upon explantation, a unit square retracts ex vivo to a square of average dimensions of [Formula: see text]. Upon expansion, the unit square deforms in vivo into a rectangle of average dimensions of [Formula: see text]. Deformations are larger parallel than perpendicular to the dorsal midline suggesting that skin responds anisotropically with smaller deformations along the skin tension lines. Upon expansion, the patch grows in vivo by [Formula: see text] with respect to the explanted, unexpanded state. Growth is larger parallel than perpendicular to the midline, suggesting that elevated stretch activates mechanotransduction pathways to stimulate tissue growth. The proposed method provides a powerful tool to characterize the kinematics of living skin. Our results shed light on the mechanobiology of skin and help us to better understand and optimize clinically relevant procedures in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Participation in a medical mission in an underserved area is both a challenging and deeply satisfying experience. The global burden of cleft lip and palate is significant, and as plastic surgery providers we are all empowered to help these patients. Surgery for cleft lip and palate is life changing for patients, and the privilege of participating in a mission can be life altering for the providers as well. The Comprehensive Cleft Care Center in Guwahati, India, is a prime example of multidisciplinary collaboration resulting in excellent care in the developing world.

Background he lack of structural support remains a challenge in the treatment of comminuted distal radius fractures. Calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate bone cement has been used in other fracture locations in addition to fixation and has been shown to allow for retention of reduction in difficult cases. Methods A case-control retrospective review of 34 consecutive distal radius fractures treated with surgery was performed with the patients classified by Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) classification. Complications and postoperative radiographs were evaluated. Results Cement was used in the most difficult cases. Radial height was retained in both groups. Volar tilt was significantly better in the cement group. There were no significant differences between the case and control groups for any complication. No complications related to the use of the cement were found. Conclusions The use of bone cement as an adjunct to fixation of distal radius fractures seems to include minimal risks and may afford a technical advantage in maintaining reduction during surgery for difficult fractures. Since there is an aspect of fracture difficulty that we cannot control for by using radiographic assessment alone, cement may provide an advantage over fixation without cement, despite similar outcomes. Bone cement can be part of the “tool box” for difficult distal radius fractures. Further study is necessary to define the technical advantages and limitations of each particular cement product.

We present a case of a 66-year-old woman who developed heart failure and severe inflammatory reaction after the illicit cosmetic injections of polymethyl-methacrylate or polyacrylamide hydrogel from a primary care provider. After medical optimization, an en bloc excision of all injectable materials and gluteus muscle was performed, which resulted in exposure of bilateral sciatic nerves. Within 10 days, the patient's heart failure resolved and inflammatory state improved. This is the first known report of heart failure due to buttock injections and subsequent improvement after surgery.

Expression of Nodal, a Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-β) related growth factor, is associated with aggressive melanoma. Nodal expression in adult dysplastic nevi may predict the development of aggressive melanoma in some patients. A subset of pediatric patients diagnosed with giant or large congenital melanocytic nevi (LCMN) has shown increased risk for development of melanoma. Here, we investigate whether Nodal expression can help identify the rare cases of LCMN that develop melanoma and shed light on why the majority of these patients do not. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining results show varying degree of Nodal expression in pediatric dysplastic nevi and LCMN. Moreover, median scores from Nodal IHC expression analysis were not significantly different between these two groups. Additionally, none of the LCMN patients in this study developed melanoma, regardless of Nodal IHC levels. Co-culture experiments revealed reduced tumor growth and lower levels of Nodal and its signaling molecules P-SMAD2 and P-ERK1/2 when melanoma cells were grown in vivo or in vitro with normal melanocytes. The same was observed in melanoma cells cultured with melanocyte conditioned media containing pigmented melanocyte derived melanosomes (MDM). Since MDM contain molecules capable of inactivating radical oxygen species, to investigate potential anti-oxidant effect of MDM on Nodal expression and signaling in melanoma, melanoma cells were treated with either N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), a component of the anti-oxidant glutathione or synthetic melanin, which in addition to providing pigmentation can also exert free radical scavenging activity. Melanoma cells treated with NAC or synthetic melanin showed reduced levels of Nodal, P-SMAD2 and P-ERK1/2 compared to untreated melanoma cells. Thus, the potential role for Nodal in melanoma development in LCMN is less evident than in adult dysplastic nevi possibly due to melanocyte cross-talk in LCMN capable of offsetting or delaying the pro-melanoma effects of Nodal via anti-oxidant effects of MDM.

Postbariatric body contouring represents a rapidly growing field. With long operative times and high rates of minor complications, evidence-based guidelines for operative management are needed. Data analyzing the impact of perioperative factors on patient outcomes are currently limited.Patients who lost 50 pounds or more and underwent body contouring were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved prospective registry over 4 years. All cases were performed by the senior author at two community hospitals and two academic hospitals. Hypothermia was defined as a minimum temperature of 35°C or lower.Three hundred eight patients (272 women and 36 men) were analyzed. The average operative time was 4.7 hours, and 71.4 percent of cases were performed in an academic hospital. The average minimum operative temperature was 35.6±0.63°C (range, 34.0 to 38.0°C), and the average maximum operative temperature was 36.5±0.75°C (range, 34.8 to 39.0°C). On multivariate analysis, a lower minimum temperature was associated with both seroma (p=0.003; odds ratio, 3.1 per 1°C decrease) and transfusion (p=0.005; odds ratio, 2.4 per 1°C decrease).Operative hypothermia was present in one-fifth of cases. Lower intraoperative temperature was associated with an increased risk of seroma formation, blood loss, and the need for transfusion. Despite this, there were few major complications in lengthy cases involving substantial blood loss. Maintaining normothermia is a critical component of perioperative management. The authors have adopted a protocol involving patient prewarming, a higher operating room temperature, and the routine use of warmed fluids.Risk, II.

This study explored the perceptions of women after receiving breast biopsy results over the phone in order to determine patient preferences about the timing, setting, and provider they preferred when receiving biopsy results. Participants were recruited at a large university cancer center and surveyed by phone approximately 2 weeks after they received biopsy results. A 24-item survey was developed concerning how the biopsy results were communicated, the communication skills of the person reporting the diagnosis, and ways to improve the communication of results. The survey also asked about the relative importance of hearing the results quickly, from the most knowledgeable provider, from a primary care physician, or in person. We surveyed 59 patients (25 cancer, 34 benign). Patients from both groups were satisfied with the communication skills of the person who gave the results. However, patients with cancer and patients undergoing their first breast biopsy were more likely to need additional materials to understand their results (P = 0.018, P = 0.036, respectively). Both cancer and benign groups ranked hearing the results quickly as the most important aspect of communication and hearing the results in person as least important. This study suggests that patients value hearing cancer diagnoses quickly more than in person. Patients having their first biopsy or with a diagnosis of cancer would prefer to have additional materials to help them understand their diagnosis.

Background: Unlike traditional plastic surgery patients who present with a specific anatomical complaint, massive weight loss patients often have multiple regions of concern. No single procedure can address the whole-body deformities associated with massive weight loss. The authors sought to quantify their clinical experience to provide evidence-based analysis of procedural combination in body contouring. Methods: Patients were enrolled in an institutional review board―approved prospective clinical database over a 5-year period. Procedure categories included breast, medial thigh lift, buttock and lateral thigh lift, upper back lift, brachioplasty, and abdomen. Analysis of variance was used to analyze differences between procedure combinations. Results: Six hundred nine massive weight loss patients underwent 661 cases involving 1070 procedures. Length of hospital stay increased with the number of procedures performed (p < 0.001). Second-stage cases (n = 60) had similar complication rates and length of hospital stay. Seroma and dehiscence were strongly correlated with the number of procedures (p < 0.001), as were tissue necrosis and infection (p = 0.02), whereas hematoma was unrelated (p = 0.25). Major complications did not increase in multiple-procedure cases. Conclusions: In a large experience at a high-volume center, concomitant procedures were performed safely in carefully selected patients with low major complication rates. Although aggregate minor complication rates were predictably higher than in single-procedure cases, there was no significant increase on a per-procedure basis. Multiple procedures can be combined safely in the body contouring patient, with surgical staging offering a viable alternative for patients who are unable to undergo combined procedures.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common surgical intervention in the treatment of traumatic and degenerative changes of the spine. Esophageal injury is a rare but devastating complication of ACDF, with a reported incidence of approximately 1%.1,2 The pattern of esophageal injuries after ACDF is bimodal. Iatrogenic injuries typically present early in the perioperative period, whereas late perforations are generally ascribed to soft-tissue erosion of the posterior esophagus by spinal hardware, bone grafts, or osteophytes. The management of esophageal perforations remains a significant reconstructive challenge as a poor intrinsic blood supply, contamination, and flow of saliva through the perforation impair wound healing. In the setting of ACDF, treatment is further confounded as the native soft-tissue surroundings have been replaced by a more hostile postoperative milieu of scar, unyielding bone and bone graft, and exposed metal. In cases where adequate bony fusion has not yet occurred, fixation hardware must often remain in place, which can complicate bacterial eradication and impose repetitive friction and persistent pressure upon an already tenuous posterior esophagus. Finally, unlike head and neck cancer esophageal reconstructions, there is minimal surgical room to maneuver to expose and repair these perforations. Primary closure has been successful in select cases; however, high rates of recurrence led to the development of reinforced primary repairs with vascularized tissue flaps incorporated into the reconstruction.3–6 Flap interposition serves to bolster against further erosion, increases antibiotic delivery, contains leaks, and is associated with decreased rates of recurrence and earlier reintroduction of oral feedings.3,7–9 Grillo and Wilkins6 first described the concept of a buttressed esophageal repair using vascularized pleural flaps for thoracic perforations, and since this introduction, a myriad of flaps have been utilized, including pedicled pectoralis major,8,10–14 sternocleidomastoid (SCM),3,4,11,15–19 longus colli,20 free radial forearm,8,11,14 and omental10 flaps. Given the low incidence of this complication, there remains a paucity of data and lack of consensus regarding optimal flap selection. Given the significant nature of esophageal perforations, with reports of up to 18% mortality, it is an important problem to address.5 In this article, we present our experience with 18 years of flap reconstruction for perforation in the context of ACDF. We intend to describe our surgical technique, lessons learned, and how our practice has evolved in the care of this challenging problem.