Objective To find a better method of emergency repair of skin and soft tissue defects in the lower leg, ankle and foot. Methods The distally based superficial sural artery flap was designed on the posterior aspect of the leg. From February 2000 to December 2003, 18 patients with skin and soft tissue detects of the lower leg, ankle and foot were treated with island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery by emergency. The size of the flap ranged form 4 cm× 5 cm to 11 cm×12 cm. Results The flaps survived totally in 16 cases and necrosed partially in 2 cases. After 1-2 year postoperative follow-up, the results were satisfactory except that in 2 flaps. Conclusion The island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery may provide a useful method for emergency repair of soft tissue defect of the lower limbs.
In order to preserve the major vessels of the extremities in the repair and reconstruction of wounds of the extremities, the distally based fascial pedicled island flap was applied clinically. Its axis and rotatary point were designed along orientation of the major arteries, and the blood supply was from the abundant vascular networks in the deep fascia. Twenty-two cases with exposure of tendon and bone including 10 upper limbs and 12 lower limbs were treated. The flap area of forearm ranged from 7 cm x 8 cm to 12 cm x 9 cm and the ratio of the length to width of the pedicle was 1: 1-2. The flap area of the calf ranged from 10 cm x 6 cm to 16.5 cm x 12 cm and the ratio of the length to width of the pedicle was 2:1. The rotatary angle was 130 degrees-170 degrees. After operation, 18 flaps were survived completely, 2 cases had partial necrosis on the margin, 2 failures received cross-leg flap in the second operation. The patients were followed up with an average of 13.5 months (ranged from 3 months to 2 years). The conclusions were as follows: 1. the blood supply of this type of flap was reliable and the major arteries of the extremities needed not to be sacrificed; 2. the preparation of the flap was easy and the survival rate was satisfactory; 3. the shortcomings of this flap were unsightly incision scar and the limited size of flap and; 4. during the operation, the compression of the pedicle must be avoided.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of fasciocutaneous flap in the repair of the III degree burn wound in the facio-cervical region. METHODS: From January 1997 to October 2001, 11 cases of III degree burn wounds in the facio-cervical region were repaired with the cervical-thoracic fasciocutaneous flap ranging from 18 cm x 8 cm to 13 cm x 5 cm. Donor sites were covered with "Z" plasty or skin grafting. RESULTS: Except for partial necrosis of distal end of the flap in 1 case, the flaps in the other 10 cases all survived and presented satisfactory appearance and function during the following up. CONCLUSION: The fasciocutaneous flap in the cervical-thoracic region may provide a large area of flap, and can be easily transferred. It’s an ideal flap for the repair of skin defect in the facio-cervical region, especially for the repair of the wounds with infection or exposure of vessel, nerve and tendon.
Objective To explore the effectiveness of anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap for repair of skin and soft tissue defect and simultaneous Achilles tendon reconstruction with modified methods of ilio-tibial bundle suture. Methods Between October 2009 and June 2011, 10 cases of Achilles tendon and soft tissue defects were treated. There were 7 males and 3 females, aged from 5 to 60 years (median, 40 years). Injury was caused by spoke in 5 cases, by heavy pound in 3 cases, and by traffic accident in 2 cases. The time between injury and admission was 2-24 hours (mean, 8 hours). The size of wound ranged from 11 cm × 7 cm to 18 cm × 10 cm; the length of Achilles tendon defect was 4-10 cm (mean, 7 cm). Three cases complicated by calcaneal tuberosity defect. After admission, emergency debridement and vacuum sealing drainage were performed for 5-7 days, anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap transplantation of 11 cm × 7 cm to 20 cm × 12 cm was used to repair skin and soft tissue defects, and improved method of ilio-tibial bundle suture was used to reconstruct Achilles tendon. The flap donor site was closed directly or repaired with skin grafting to repair. Results All flaps and the graft skin at donor site survived, healing of wounds by first intention was obtained. All patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 10 months). The flap was soft and flexible; the flap had slight encumbrance in 3 cases, and the others had good appearance. At last follow-up, two-point discrimination was 2-4 cm (mean, 3 cm). The patients were able to walk normally. The range of motion (ROM) of affected side was (24.40 ± 2.17)° extension and (44.00 ± 1.94)° flexion, showing no significant difference when compared with ROM of normal side [(25.90 ± 2.33)° and (45.60 ± 1.84)° ] (t=1.591, P=0.129; t=1.735, P=0.100). According to Arner-Lindhoim assessment method for ankle joint function, all the patients obtained excellent results. Conclusion A combination of anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap for repair of skin and soft tissue defects and simultaneous Achilles tendon reconstruction with modified methods of ilio-tibial bundle suture is beneficial to function recovery of the ankle joint because early function exercises can be done.
Objective To review the research progress of the skin flap, fascial flap, muscle flap, and myocutaneous flap for repairing soft tissue defects around the knee so as to provide information for clinical application. Methods Domestic and abroad literature concerning the methods of soft tissue repair around the knee in recent years was reviewed extensively and analyzed. Results Fascial flaps meet the requirements of thin, pliable, and tough skin in the soft tissue repair around the knee. Myocutaneous flaps and muscle flaps have more abundant blood supply and anti-infection function. Free skin flaps are the only option when defects are extensive and local flaps are unavailable. Conclusion Suitable flaps should be chosen for soft tissue repair around the knee according to defect position, depth, and extent. Fascial flaps may be selected as the first flaps for defects repair because of excellent aesthetic results and less injury at the donor site.
OBJECTIVE In order to increase the survival area of pedicled fasciocutaneous flap, a multiple pedicled blocking randomized fasciocutaneous flap was designed. METHODS From January 1991 to September 1998, this technique was used to repair 33 cases, including 27 males and 6 females and the ages ranged from 6 to 58 years. All of the patients were suffered from traffic accidents. In these cases, 22 cases had skin defects of legs and feet with bone, nerve and tendon exposed, 5 cases had osteomyelitis as well as internal fixaters exposed and the other 6 had deformity from scar. The size of the flap was 25.0 cm x 13.0 cm x 2.4 cm at its maximum and 6.0 cm x 3.5 cm x 1.5 cm at its minimum. Based on the traditional blocking flap, according to the severity of the wound and conditions of the neighboring tissues, a flap having 2 to 4 orthogonal pedicles with a width of 1.5 to 3.0 cm was designed. The medical-graded stainless steel sheet was implanted below the deep fascia, and after blocking for 3 to 6 days, the side pedicles were divided. 6 to 14 days later, one of the two remaining pedicles was divided and was transferred to repair the defect. RESULTS 31 cases were followed up for 6 months to 5 years without any trouble of the joints. The flap had a good external appearance and was high pressure-resistant. CONCLUSION The multiple pedicled blocking randomized fasciocutaneous flap increased the size of the flap and the length to width ratio. It had the following advantages: manage at will, high resistance to infection and a large survival area of flap.
Objective To evaluate clinical significance of reversed sural neurovascular fasciocutaneous flap for reconstruction of softtissue defects in ankle and foot. Methods From July 1994 to December 2002, 52 cases of soft-tissuedefects in the ankle and foot were reconstructed by use of reversed sural neurovascular fascio-cutaneous flap, including 47 cases of traumatic defects, 3 cases of chronic ulcer and 2 cases of tumors. The flap area ranged from 4 cm×6 cm to 10 cm×21 cm. Results The flaps survived in 48 cases; the distal part necrosed and secondary free-skin graft were further conducted in 4 cases. All soft-tissue defects were repaired and their accompanied bone and tendon exposurehealed. Forty-six cases were followed-up for 5 months to 48 months, the color and texture of the flaps were excellent and 2point discrimination was 11-17 mm(14 mm on average).The functions of ankle joints were good.Conclusion The reversedsural neurovascular fascio-cutaneous flap is convenient in design and dissection. Its use can retained and replace vascular anostomosed flaps to certain degrees.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the repairing method of inguinal scar contracture deformity in children with transpositional fasciocutaneous flap of anterior-medial side of thigh. METHODS: From August 1989 to August 1999, 33 cases with inguinal scar contracture deformity were adopted in this study. Among them, there were 26 males and 7 females, aged from 3 to 11 years old. The transpositional fasciocutaneous flap consisted of a huge tongue-shape flap with a pedicled triangular flap between the edge of skin defect and the above tongue-shape flap. The maximal size of the transpositional fasciocutaneous flap was 18 cm x 10 cm and the minimal size was 13 cm x 8 cm, the transpositional angle was 60 degrees to 80 degrees. During operation, the tongue-shape flap was used to repair the inguinal region and the triangular flap was used to repair the donor site in one stage. RESULTS: All the flaps survived. The function and appearance of perineum were satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The transpositional fasciocutaneous flap is suitable for repairing the inguinal scar contracture deformity in children, and skin graft is unnecessary.
Considering the abundant vascular anastomotic networks in the deep fascia of the posterior calf, three kinds of distally based facial flap containing deep fascial vascular network were applied clinically. They were: 1. posterolateral distally based island fascial flap which could be used to repair the skin defect of heel, dorsum of foot and lateral-distal part of leg; 2. posteromedial distally based island fascial flap which could be used to repair the skin defect of heel, medial malleolus and medial-distal part of leg and 3. posterolateral malleolar distally based fascial flap which could be used to repair the skin defect of heel and lateral malleolus. Eighteen cases with soft tissue defects around the distal calf were treated, the area of skin defect ranged from 4 cm x 3 cm to 13 cm x 6 cm. All the flaps were survived completely after operation with an average of follow-up for 15 months (ranged from 6 months to 2 years). So the advantages of these flaps were as follows: the blood supply was reliable, preparation of the flap was easy and the major arteries of the calf needed not be sacrificed; the flap had a long and rotatable pedicle so that they would basically satisfy the need to repair skin defect of lower leg, dorsum of foot, heel and malleolus and the resistance of the flap to pressure and wear was better. However, the injury to the superficial sural nerve was the shortcoming.