Golden Ratio Flap Designed Using the Golden Ratio Rectangle

Abstract

Background: Rotation flaps are arcuate repairs that redistribute tension vectors and recruit adjacent and/or distant tissue laxity. The incision curve could be a logarithmic spiral curve to reduce the length of an incision. We propose a rotation flap—the golden ratio flap—designed using a golden rectangle. Methods: The flap incision is an arc though the major square which is beside the minor square of a golden rectangle. The defect is attached to the line of another minor square and diagonal to the major square. The bottom line runs from the incision end to the tangent point of the circle or the oval, and the perpendicular height line runs from the bottom line to the cross point of the flap incision. These parameters were analyzed retrospectively for four superficial sarcomas that were treated using a rotation flap with an incision approximating the logarithmic spiral curve. Results: The ratio of height to bottom of the golden ratio flap design was highly similar to the preoperative flap design in the four cases assessed. With the new design, the ratio of bottom to the defect diameter (minor axis in the oval defect) was 1.3, and for the height, it was 1.4. Conclusions: The golden ratio flap, designed using the golden rectangle, is reproducible. The parameters of height and bottom approximate the flap shape, or the length and width, respectively. For clinical applications, step-by-step guidance for drawing the new flap are also proposed.