What is a Z-plastic?
Z-plasty, also known as Z-flap plastic surgery, is a type of skin flap plastic surgery. It is used in particular to redistribute skin tension and change the course of the scar.
Explanation of Z-flap plastic surgery
The picture above shows the principle of the Z-plasty. An incision is made from the ends of the scar at an angle of approx. 60° to the existing scar so that 2 triangular skin flaps of the same size are created. The scar is cut out, creating the Z-shaped incision pattern of the Z-plasty.
The lobes are now exchanged for each other (green arrows). The result is now a Z whose center is perpendicular to the original course of the scar. The scar has thus been repositioned and lengthened.
Continuous Z-plastic
The continuous Z-plasty shown in the picture enables the correction of longer scars and scar strands. The basic principle is the same as described in the last paragraph.
Application
Z-plasty has the following therapeutic indications in plastic surgery and hand surgery, among others:
- In the case of burns, Z-plasty is used to correct scar strands in particular.
- In Dupuytren’s disease, the skin of the fingers is often shortened in the longitudinal direction. Here too, the skin can be favorably redistributed using Z-flap plasty.
