ABSTRACT
A case of successful replantation of a totally avulsed scalp in a 40-year-old woman
is presented. During a 19-hr surgical procedure, bilateral superficial temporal arteries
and veins were anastomosed. The postoperative course was uneventful, except for partial
necrosis of the distal end of the avulsed flap, i.e., the occipital region. Since the first successful scalp replantation using microsurgical
technique was reported in 1976, the authors have found at least 32 subsequently reported
cases. Of these, there were 22 cases of entire scalp avulsion (more than 80 percent
of the scalp), including 15 females and seven males. A summary of these cases is included.
From analysis of the reported cases of entire scalp avulsion, the keys to success
in scalp replantation are considered to be the adequate selection of vessels for repair
and the use of vein grafts, if necessary.
