GAP flap
Also written as: GAP — Gluteal Artery Perforator
Gluteal artery perforator flap used for breast reconstruction, harvesting tissue from the buttock while preserving the gluteal muscle.
Full Definition
A gluteal artery perforator (GAP) flap is a microsurgical technique for breast reconstruction that uses skin and fat from the buttock area. The procedure preserves the gluteal muscle by harvesting tissue based on perforating vessels from either the superior or inferior gluteal artery. GAP flaps offer an alternative when abdominal tissue is unavailable for reconstruction. The technique requires careful preoperative imaging to map perforator vessels and skilled microsurgical anastomosis for successful outcomes.
Usage
Usage note: Often specified as SGAP or IGAP to indicate superior or inferior vessel source.
In Context
- "The patient was deemed an excellent candidate for GAP flap reconstruction given her body habitus and previous abdominal surgery." — Surgical consultation note
- "Perforator mapping revealed suitable vessels for a right GAP flap harvest." — Preoperative imaging report