Objective To investigate the effectiveness of repairing severe cicatricial contracture deformity in the web-space by kite-like incision combined with full-thickness skin grafting. Methods Between June 2008 and September 2011, 31 patients (87 web-spaces) with severe cicatricial contracture deformities in the web-spaces were treated. There were 24 males and 7 females, aged 5-43 years (median, 22 years). The causes of injuries were flame burn (26 cases), scald (3 cases), electric arc burn (1 case), and chemical burn (1 case). The degree of burn was deep second degree (14 cases) and third degree (17 cases). The interval time from injury to operation was 10 months to 17 years (median, 2.2 years). The kite-like incision was marked on the scar in the web-space. The rhombic scar between the adjacent metacarpophalangeal joints was excised, and cicatricial contracture was released completely. The secondary wound in the web-space was repaired with full-thickness autogeneic skin grafting. The secondary wound at donor site was directly sutured. Results All full-thickness skin grafts survived well. The incisions at donor sites healed primarily. Of 31 patients, 29 (82 web-spaces) were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 13 months). The sizes and depths of reconstructed web-spaces were similar to those of normal ones. No secondary cicatricial contracture was observed, and the function of fingers recovered well. Conclusion The short-term effectiveness is satisfactory by kite-like incision combined with full-thickness skin grafting for repairing severe cicatricial contracture deformities in the web-space, while the long-term effectiveness needs further observation.
【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the blood supply of the expanded skin flap from the medial upper arm andits appl ication for the repair of facial and cervical scar. Methods From May 2000 to February 2007, 20 cases (12 males and 8 females; aging from 7 to 42 years) of facial and cervical scar were treated with the expender flap from medial upper arm. The disease course was 9 months to 20 years. The size of the scar was 8 cm × 6 cm - 22 cm × 18 cm. The operation was carried out for three steps: ① The expander was embed under the superior proper fascia. ② The scar in the face and cervix was loosed and dissected. Combined the expanded skin flap from the medial upper arm(the size of the flap was 9 cm × 7 cm - 24 cm × 18 cm) in which the blood supply to the flap was the superior collateral artery and the attributive branches of the basil ica with auxil iary veins for blood collection with partial scar flap (3.5 cm × 2.5 cm - 8.0 cm × 6.0 cm) was harvested and transferred onto the facial and cervical defect. ③ After being cut off the pedicle, the scar was dissected. The expanded flap was employed to coverthe defect. Results After 3-24 months follow-up with 16 cases, all the grafted skin flaps survived at least with nearly normal skin color, texture and contour. The scars at the donor sites were acceptable. The function and appearance of the face and cervix was improved significantly. No surgery-related significant compl ications were observed. Conclusion Repair of facial and cervical scar with the medial upper arm expanded skin flap is a plausible reconstructive option for head and face reconstructions. However, a longer surgery time and some restrictive motion of the harvested upper l imbs might be a disadvantage.
Double adjacent-finger skin flap could be used to treat severe cicatricial contracture of fingers with resultant complete release of contracture and good coverage of raw surface. From the follow-up, it was noted that the appearance of the fingers following treatment looked nice, no recurrence of contracture in the late stage, and partial sensation of the fingers could be recovered as well. It had no ill-effect on the donor fingers, The method was simple and reliable,from 1987, a total of 4 cases had been done,and the functional recovery wassatisfactory.