The gracilis flap revisited

The gracilis muscle or myocutaneous flap is a Mathes and Nahai neurovascula r flap type II. It can be used either as a pedicled flap, or as a free flap . Since 1983, 21 gracilis muscle flaps were used in 19 patients at this dep artment; 15 were pedicled while six were free flaps. Two pedicled flaps wer e lost, possibly due to an intraoperative spasm of the feeding artery. The indications for using the gracilis muscle are discussed, and the results wi th an average follow-up of more than a decade are presented.