Twenty cases with skin defect of forearm and hand were treated by free skin graft with subcutaneous fat from 0.5 to 0.7 cm in thickness. The maximal area of free skin graft is 27×10cm, and the smallest one is 1.5×2cm. All of skin flaps survived except one having partial necrosis. Follow up shown round external figure, clasticity, and no change of skin color. It preserved the function of sweat gland and the cutaneous sensation began to recover 4 months postoperation.
Objective To introduce a new design of the scapular flap.Methods The lateral descending cutaneous branch of the circumflex scapular artery was investigated in 10 cadavers with radiography. Based on the results, we usedthe scapular flap(from 8 cm×25 cm to 11 cm×35 cm) pedical on the lateral descending cutaneous branch of the circumflex scapular artery to reconstruct defects offaciocervical region after burning in 7 patients, with direct suture the donatearea,or skin grafting.Results Sever flaps survived completely, satisfactoryresults were obtained except 2 patients’ flap to need to be thinned during the following up.Conclusion This flap can be designed to extend to the inframamary fold, the donor-site scar of the flap is well hidden. The design of the flap broadens the application of the scapular flap.
Objective To introduce a method to repair soft tissue defect in different regions and different areas of hand in one procedure. Methods From May 2002 to May 2005, anterolateral femoral flap or lobulated anterolateral femoralflap(forming irregular anterolateral femoral flap) was designed into different shapes to repair multiple soft tissue defect in different regions in hand, whichwas used clinically in 27 cases. Among 27 cases, there were 16 males and 11 females; the locations were left hand in 9 , right hand in 16 and left foot in 2; including 5 penetrating injury, 9 hotpressing injury, 2 soft tissue defection of instep and planta by milled injury, 6 gearing injury and 5 carding machine injury. All the cases complicated by exposure of tendons, bones or joints. Defect was repaired with H-shape flaps in 5 cases of penetrating palm injuries; with Y-shape or K-shape flaps in 11 cases of dorsals or combined with fingers of hand with skin defect; with shape flaps in 3 cases of dorsals combined with sides of palms or the first web of hands with skin defect and in 2 cases of skin defects of dorsals combinedwith palms of feet;with h-shape flaps in 6 cases of skin defects of dorsal or palms combined with disconnected skin defect of fingers. The sizes of main flaps ranged from 6.5 cm×4.8 cm to 17.0 cm×12.0 cm, the sizes of lobulate flaps ranged from 3.5 cm×2.8 cm to 7.5 cm×4.5 cm. Results Allflaps survived without vascular crisis after operation. Except the fascia flapall recipient sites healed by first intention. The follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 1 year, all cases had satisfactory appearance, the texture of flaps was soft. Except 2 cases of penetrating injury, 3 cases of hotpressing injuryand1 case of carding machine injury whose function was not satisfactory, theremaining cases achieved the function of snap and pinch. More than 1 year after operation, the sense of pain and touch recovered. There was no functional impairment at the donor sites although scar hyperplasia was formed in some cases.Conclusion The application of irregular anterolateral femoralflap is an optimal choice for complex skin defect of hand.
Eight cases of tissue defect inthe faciomaxillo-neck region weretreated by application of the vascu-larized paraseapular free flap Themain causes of the tissue defects werepostresection of tumor in the faceor neck and cicatrical contractureafter burn. The method of flapdesign was discussed. It was stress-ed that the incision of the flap onthe outer margin should be 2 cmbeyond the lateral border of thescapula, thus the damage to thesuperficial branch of the circumfl-ex seapular artery could be avoided.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of free vascularized thoracoumbilical flap with reversal flow in repairing the soft tissue defect in leg with tibia exposure. METHODS: Forty-four casting mould specimens of leg arteries were studied firstly. Then 25 cases with soft tissue defect and tibia exposure in the proximal-middle segment of leg were adopted in this study. Among them, 18 cases had long distance thrombosis of the anterior tibial vessels or posterior tibial vessels due to traumatic lesion. The maximal size of defect was 28 cm x 11 cm and the minimal size of defect was 11 cm x 9 cm. In operation, the thoracoumbilical flap which was based on the inferior epigastric vessels was anastomosed to the distal end of the anterior tibial vessels or posterior tibial vessels. RESULTS: Anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and fibular artery had rich communication branches in foot and ankle. All the flaps survived, the color and cosmetic result of them were good. CONCLUSION: The free vascularized thoracoumbilical flap with reversed flow is practical in repairing the soft tissue defect of leg with tibia exposure. Either the anterior tibial vessels or the posterior tibial vessels is normal, and the distal end of injured blood vessels is available, this technique can be adopted.
The main arterial blood supply to the retroauricular region came from the posterior auricular artery. At the level of mastoid, the caliber of the artery was measured at 1mm in diameter, The posterior auricular vein drained into the external jugular vein. Vascularized retroauricular skin flap was used to repair 2 cases of partial nose defects with success and the outer appearance of the nose was quite satisfactory. The applied anatomy and the surgical procedure were detailed.
Objective To evaluate the effect of the treatment of necrosis of femoral head with the free vascularized fibula grafting. Methods From October 2000 to February 2002, 31 hips in 26 patients with ischemic necrosis of the femoral head were treated with free vascularized fibula graft. Among these patients, 21 patients (25 hips) were followed up for 6-18 months(12 months on average). According to Steinberg stage:Ⅱ period, 5 hips;Ⅲ period,8 hips; Ⅳ period, 12 hips.Results Among 25hips, their Harris Hip Score at all satges were improved during the follow-up. The symptom of pain diminished or disappeared after operation. The patient’s ability to work and live was notlimited or only slightly limited during the follow-up. Radiographic evaluation showed that most femoral heads improved (18 hips) or unchanged (6 hips) and only oneworsened.Conclusion The free vascularized fibular grafting is a valuable method for femoral head necrosis. With this method, we can prevent or delay the process of the disease.
Abstract In order to have more selective sources of skin flaps to repair soft tissue defects, the prefabricated flap combining with skin expander was tried. Implanted the dorsal thoracic artery and vein with a muscle bundle of latissimus dorsi into the lateral thoracic wall subdermally andset a skin expander subcutaneously. Injected saline into the expander to inflate the flap gradually. In a month, an axial flap with the dorsal thoracic vesselswas prepared. the flap was transferred to the defect by vascular anastomosis technique. This method was applied in two cases, one to the left ankle, another to the left side of the neck. The sizes of the two flaps were 20cm×14cmand 22cm×15cm respectively. After operation, the flaps were alive completely. The advantages included selective source of vascular pedicle, thinpliable flap with enough blood supply, and direct closure of the donor site without skin graft.
Objective To summary the clinical application of free fibular composite flaps in repair of mandibular defect. Methods Fiftyeight cases of mandibular reconstruction using free fibular flaps, from June 1999 to November 2000, were reviewed, among which there were 37 cases of male and 21 cases of female, aged from 12 to 65 years old. All of the relevant data of the operation, such as the cause of the defect, design of the flaps, the blood vessels of the recipientand the complications, were included and analyzed. Results The fibular flap was 10.9 cm (4-21 cm) averagely in length and was harvested for 2.1 times (1-4 times); the average size of the skin paddle was 5.88 cm×3.13 cm. Of 58 flaps, therewere 56 survived; the overall complication rate was 24.1%.Conclusion It’s safe and reliable to use free fibular flap to reconstruct the mandibular defect.