OBJECTIVE To introduce a skin flap containing the middle cutaneous branch of the medial plantar artery. METHODS Microanatomic study was performed on 8 fresh cadaveric feet, the arteries were dissected and infused with methylene blue to observe their vascular distribution and the skin area supplied by the middle cutaneous branch. Furthermore, the clinical application was reported. A local pedicled flap containing the middle cutaneous branch was used to repair the soft tissue defects of the foot in 7 patients, and free cutaneous graft was used to repair the skin defects of the fingers in 6 patients. RESULTS The results showed that the medical plantar artery gave off 3 cutaneous branches to supply the medial aspect of the foot, among which the middle branch was the largest one and anastomosed with the other two branches. The skin flaps used clinically were all survived completely. CONCLUSION Medial plantar cutaneous graft had a reliable blood supply, and it’s one of the best choice in repairing small to middle sized skin defects of the foot and the fingers.
Ten cases of neurotmesis of posterior interosseous nerve of the forearm were treated with mierosurgical technique from Aug, 1988 to Oct. 1990, of which, 4 cases by autogenous nerve graft and 6 cases by direct neurosuture. Eight cases have been followed-up from 4 months to 1 year after operation concerning with satisfactory results. Some questions the diagnosis, the points for attention in operation, and the relation of the results and the time when the operation done were discussed. The comparison of the results and the recovery time between the autogenous-nerve graft and direct neurosuture was made.
Objective To explore the clinical effect of different types of free tissue transplantation on repairing tissue defects and reconstructing functions. Methods From November 2001 to September 2004, 14 types of freetissue transplantation and 78 free tissue flaps were applied to repairing tissue defects and reconstructing functions in extremities and maxillofacial region in 69 cases. Of the 69 cases, there were 53 males and 16 females (their ages ranged from 18 to 56, 31 on average). Five cases were repaired because of skin defects in foot, 22 cases were repaired because of skin defects in leg, 36 cases were repaired as the result of skin defects in hand or forearm and finger reconstruction, 3 cases were restored by virtue of ulna or radius defects, and 3 cases were repaired in maxillofacial region. There were 55 cases of open wound, in which 16 cases were infectious wound, 6 cases were osteomyelitis or pyogenic arthritis. There were 14 cases of noninfectious wound. The area of these tissue flaps ranged from 2.0 cm×1.5 cm to 43.0 cm×12.0 cm. The length of bone transplantation ranged from 10 cm to 15 cm. Results Arterial crisis occurred in 2 cases, venous crisis occurred in 2 cases.Seventysix flaps survived completely and 2 flaps survived partially which werelater healed. Fiftytwo cases were healed at stageⅠ, 13 cases were healed at stageⅡ(healing time ranged from 20 to 30 days), purulent infection occurred to 4cases(healing time ranged from 3 to 11 months). Bone healing time ranged from 6 to 8 weeks in finger reconstruction. Bone healing time ranged from 4 to 6 months in fibula transplantation. The function reconstruction and appearance were satisfying. The functions of all regions, where free tissues were supplied, were not disturbed. Conclusion Tissue transplantation and composite tissue transplantation are effective in repairing tissue defects and reconstructing functions.
A study was carried out to observe the application of microsurgical technique in the repair defects of soft tissue and infected wounds of extremities. Eighty-three patients with soft tissue defects and infected wounds of extremities were treated by either transferring of vascularized cutaneous flap or transplantation of myocutaneous flap with vascular anastomosis. The result showed that eighty-three patients had gained success after a follow-up of 6 months to 4 years. It was concluded that soft tissue defects and infected wounds of extremities should be repaired as early as possible. Selecting the donor flap near the recipient site was of first choice. The method used for repair should be simple and easily applicable rather these very complicated one. The success depended on the correct treatment of local conditions, resonable design of donor flap and close monitoring after operation.
OBJECTIVE To explore the pathogenic mechanism of intrinsic muscle contracture after replantation of severed palm or wrist, and put forward the prevention and treatment methods. METHODS From 1985 to 1997, 48 cases were received replantation of severed palm or wrist, among them, 9 cases with thumb adductor contracture and 6 cases with intrinsic muscle contracture were occurred in different degree. Two cases with mild thumb adductor contracture were received conservative treatment, and 7 cases with moderate thumb adductor contracture and 6 cases with intrinsic muscle contracture were received operative treatment. The pathogenic mechanism, clinical results, and prevention methods were studied in those 15 cases. RESULTS The postoperative function recovery was better in 4 cases, moderate in 5 cases with thumb adductor contracture, and better in 3 cases, moderate in 1 case with intrinsic muscle contracture, and moderate in 1 case, poor in 1 case with intrinsic muscle contracture of cord-like induration. Followed up 1 to 10 years, no recurrence was observed in all of 15 cases. The incidence and degree of thumb adductor contracture and intrinsic muscle contracture were closely related to the ischemia time of replanting graft. CONCLUSION Prevention of thumb adductor contracture and intrinsic muscle contracture is most important in severed palm or wrist replantation. When the ischemia time of replanting graft is longer than 12 hours, the effective decompression in myofascial compartment is performed in time to reach satisfactory result.
Microsurgery has always been the main treatment for large vestibular schwannomas. With the progress of microsurgical technique and neuroimaging, the application of the intraoperative physiological monitoring technology, as well as the popularization of the concept of minimally invasive neurosurgery, the current development trend of surgery for vestibular schwannomas is to realize both the maximal tumoral resection and the maximal preservation of facial nerve function, which puts more emphasis on the improvement of quality of life. It is still a challenge for neurosurgeons to resect the tumor to the maximum extent and preserve the nerve function as well. In view of this background, the strategy of " near-total resection” and " subtotal resection” combined with stereotactic radiotherapy has been more and more accepted in the past years. However, as a neurosurgeon, the ultimate goal should be " gross-total resection of tumor” and preservation of the nerve function as well. For those tumors severely adherent to neurovascular structure, " near total resection” might be a rational choice. Meanwhile, long-term follow-up should be conducted to clarify the biological behavior of tumor residues, as well as the necessity and long-term effect of stereotactic radiotherapy.
A total of 15 amputated adult upper limbs were used for this experiment by arterial infusion of Chengdu ink in 10% formalin, followed by dissection of the specimens, and then undergoing the process of making the specimens transparent. The speciments were immersed in winter-green oil, and the vascular architecture at the different levels of the flexor tendon of fingers were observed under surgical microscope. It was noted that the vascular supply of the flexor tendons of the fingers had a regular pattern: a richer blood vessels inside te tendon sheath were distributed eccentrically over the tendon; the blood vessels in the interior of the tendon located in the connecive tessues in between the tendon fascicules; the longitudinal blood vessels in the interior of the tendon did not run through the entire length of the tendon, but rather segmentally.
OBJECTIVE: To search for the operation timing and methods for obstetrical brachial plexus injury (OBPI). METHODS: Thirty-two children with upper OBPI were treated by microsurgical procedure from October 1997 to April 2001. The average age of patients was 10 months, ranged from 3 months to 24 months; of them, 19 were below 6 months while 13 were over 6 months. Surgical procedure included neurolysis(n = 12), coaptation after resection of the neuroma without function (n = 7), phrenic nerve transfer to anterior cord of upper trunk or musculocutaneous nerve (n = 7) and intercostal nerves transfer to musculocutaneous nerve(n = 6). The children underwent operation with microsurgical technique and 7/0 or 9/0 nylon was used for nerve suture. RESULTS: Thirty cases were followed up for 21 months postoperatively; the excellent and good rate was 76.7% (23/30). The results of the children under 6 months were better than those over 6 months. CONCLUSION: The microsurgical operation might be considered at the age of 3-6 month infants who had shown little or no improvement in elbow flexion. Neurolysis and nerve coaptation are superior to neurotization. The appropriate procedure should be selected according to the findings of exploration.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of microsurgical therapy and the key techniques in resection of large bilateral olfactory groove meningiomas via unilateral subfrontal approach.MethodsThe clinical data and follow-up results of 181 patients with large bilateral olfactory groove meningiomas who underwent microsurgical removal between June 2007 and May 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The initial symptom was headache or (and) dizzy in 95 cases, hyposmia or anosmia in 53, impairment of visual function or (and) visual field deficits in 26, cognitive deficits in 3, epilepsy in 2, and accidentally discovered in 2. Unilateral subfrontal approach was applied in all patients (neuroendoscopy was applied in some cases in the later period); incision of falxcerebri, and when necessary, ligation of superior sagittal sinus to resect contralateral tumor were performed. Simultaneous or staged period resection of tumors invading skull base such as ethmoid sinus and superior meatus and reconstruction of the skull base were performed.ResultsThere was no perioperative mortality. Simpson grade Ⅰ resection was obtained in 33 cases, grade Ⅱ resection was in 141, grade Ⅲ resection was in 4, and grade Ⅳ resection was in 3. Among the 229 eyes with preoperative visual impairment, postoperative visual improvement was found in 215 eyes, unimproved was in 12, and aggravation was in 2. The 59 sides which lost their function of olfactory nerve before surgery obtained no recoveries after surgery, while olfactory nerve with residual function preoperative still kept sensing after surgery in 149 lateral sides (149/303). The patients were followed up for (76.9±43.8) months, and postoperative recurrence or residual tumor growth were found in 21 cases.ConclusionsBecause of the contralateral ocular and (or) nasal compensation, early discovery is very difficult for patients with olfactory groove meningioma. The unilateral subfrontal approach can provide sufficient exposure for resection of large bilateral olfactory groove meningiomas and improve the visual acuity and visual field deficits. But it is poor at the preservation of olfactory function. The approach, better with the aid of neuroendoscopy, can improve the total cutting rate, with the advantages of minimally invasion and fewer complications. It is a worthy priority for these tumors.
The rectus femoris muscles of rabbits were used as muscle model. The electrical stimulation which resembled the normal motor-unit activity was used to observe its effects on free transferred muscle. After three months, the moist muscle weight (MW), its maximum cross-section area, its contractility and its histochemical characteristics were examined. The results showed that the function and morphology of the muscles were well preserved. These findings might encourage its clinical application.