> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.theplasticsfella.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Who Deserves Cadavers?, 4 SCIP Flap Tricks, & Quiz Winner! - URL: https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/ - Published: 2025-09-19T12:27:42.000Z - Updated: 2025-09-19T12:30:00.000Z - Description: Also: Building a team of experts, evidence on SCIP flaps, & 3 recommended reads. - Author: PlasticsFella - Tags: thePlasticsPaper #### In this week's edition 1. ****✍️** [****Letter from P'Fella**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#a-letter-from-pfella) Who has cadavers? 2. ****🤓** [****The Sunday Quiz**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#the-sunday-quiz) \*Drumroll🥁\* We've got a new winner! 3. ****🚑** [****Technique Tip**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#technique-tip) Marking and dissecting the SCIP flap. 4. ****🆕** [****New Feature**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#new-feature) Build the team with us! 5. 📖 [****What Does the Evidence Say**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#what-does-the-evidence-say) SCIP vs. the "workhorse flaps". 6. ****🔥** [****Articles of the Week**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#articles-of-the-week) Original SCIP flap study, modified SCIP flap, & SCIP tricks: With 1-sentence summaries. 7. 💕 [****Feedback**](https://www.theplasticsfella.com/september-21st/#feedback) Suggest ideas & give feedback! ## A Letter from P'Fella **Should Plastic Surgery Get Serious About Cadavers?* 👋 I just spent three days in Spain with J.P. Hong and some of the best in the game, and it reminded me of something we don’t talk about enough: nothing replaces cadaver work. You can read, watch, or simulate all you like, but until you’ve held a scalpel and worked through real tissue, it’s theory, not surgery. And yet, most of us don’t get access. Not because cadavers don’t exist, but because of patchwork ethics, laws, and logistics. Some countries ban them outright, others make them so tied up in red tape they may as well not exist. The result? We’re raising surgeons with immaculate exam scores but shaky hands. So maybe the real question isn’t *where’s the best cadaver course;* it’s bigger than that. Should we, as a specialty, be pushing harder to make cadaver training a global standard? Should every trainee, no matter where they live, have the chance to learn this way? Because right now, cadaver training is a privilege, not a baseline. And if we don’t change that, we risk producing a generation of plastic surgeons who can consult beautifully but can’t operate with confidence. 👉 So what do you think: do we double down and make cadaver access a priority for plastic surgery training worldwide? And if so, who’s willing to lead the charge? With love, P’Fella ❤️ ## The Sunday Quiz **\*Drumroll🥁\* We've Got a New Winner!* ****Congratulations to the Winner** of The Weekly Quiz! We're thrilled to announce the winner of this edition's quiz. After seven rounds of questions on plastic surgery, our top scorer is ****AL**! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the series. If you missed it, don't worry. New quizzes and challenges are already in the works! ![Sunday Quiz Leaderboard](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a0/9f/a09fd7b4-d396-4b28-aed3-b87e20483292/content/images/2025/09/Leaderboard-Team-Post-Template--7-.png) Sunday Quiz Leaderboard ## Technique Tip **Marking and Dissecting the SCIP Flap* 🚑 ****Technique Tip of the Week** This week’s technique tip features a visual walkthrough by JP Hong on marking and dissecting the SCIP flap. In this short video, you'll see: \- Preoperative surface marking \- Use of Doppler for perforator localisation \- Tips on safe dissection and preserving perforators Watch the video below 🎥 ## New Feature **Build the Team With Us* We’re building a team of experts and we want your input. Know someone brilliant in their field? Fill out the short form below to recommend them. We’ll reach out to potential collaborators directly! ## What Does the Evidence Say? **SCIP vs the "Workhorse Flaps"* In this section, we dive deep into the latest research and evidence on medical practices and surgical techniques. The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap has emerged as an increasingly popular alternative to traditional flaps in ****head and neck reconstruction**. Comparative studies demonstrate that SCIP flaps offer several advantages over radial forearm free flaps (RFFF), including shorter operative times, longer vascular pedicles, and reduced thickness, making them particularly suitable for ****facial reconstruction** (Hurrell et al., 2022; Shpitser et al., 2023). The SCIP flap has evolved from the groin flap with improved characteristics and is now considered a "****workhorse**" flap for ****oral cavity** and ****throat reconstruction** (Shpitser et al., 2023). A systematic review of 174 oncologic patients showed excellent outcomes with SCIP flaps, with only two cases of total flap loss and primary donor site closure achieved in all patients (Rosti et al., 2023). Recent clinical experience confirms the reliability of SCIP flaps across various body regions, with a ****4.7% flap loss rate** and high patient satisfaction when given donor site choice (Franchi et al., 2025). ## Articles of the Week **3 Interesting Articles with One-Sentence Summaries* ✅ ****Original SCIP Flap: Why Use It for Limb Defects?** ([Koshima](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14707641/?ref=theplasticsfella.com), 2004) The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap offers a thin, customizable flap with concealed donor site and minimal morbidity, though its small-caliber perforators demand delicate microsurgical technique. ✅ ****How Thin Can You Make a Perforator Flap?** ([Hong](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24554571/?ref=theplasticsfella.com), 2014) Elevating perforator flaps in the superficial fascial plane yields consistently thin, viable flaps (\~5–8 mm) with good survival and fewer secondary debulking procedures, improving both function and aesthetics. ✅ ****What Makes the SCIP Flap Reliable?** ([Ishibashi](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40612916/?ref=theplasticsfella.com), 2025) With thorough preoperative Doppler mapping, the SCIP flap accommodates major SCIA variations and can incorporate skin, fat, lymphatics, fascia, nerve, and bone, offering a versatile low-morbidity reconstructive option. ## Feedback ### I hope you enjoyed it 😄 ---