A patient has a contracted scar band across the axillary crease limiting shoulder abduction. Which procedure is designed both to lengthen the scar along its axis and to redirect the scar into a less conspicuous orientation?

• A Serial excision
• B Tissue expansion
• C Z-plasty ✓
• D Split-thickness skin grafting

Explanation

Z-plasty transposes two triangular flaps, lengthening the central limb of the contracture while reorienting the resulting scar into the transverse relaxed skin tension lines. The percentage gain in length is determined by the angle of the flaps, classically 75% gain with 60-degree limbs. Serial excision shortens scars over stages but does not redirect them, and grafting does not address the contracture mechanics.

Reference: Grabb and Smith's Plastic Surgery, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.