Objective To investigate the clinical significance of the distally-based sural musculocutaneous flap for the treatment of chronic calcaneal osteomyelitis. Methods From January 2002 to October 2005, 7 patients (4 males, 3 females; age range, 15-68 years ) were treated with the distallybased sural musculocutaneous flap, who had chronic calcanealosteomyelitis after calcaneal fracture. After the radical debridement for all the nonviable and poorly vascularized tissues, all the chronic calcaneal osteomyelitis patients, who had suffered from open calcaneal fracture or closed calcaneal fracture, were treated with the open reduction, the internal fixation, and thebone graft. The ulcer lasted for 3-12 months before diagnosis of osteomyelitis. The musculocutaneous flaps ranged in size from 8 cm×4 cm to 12 cm×7 cmand the muscle flaps ranged from 4 cm×3 cm to 6 cm×5 cm. The donor defects were closed primarily in 5 patients and were resurfaced with the splitthicknessskin graft in 2 patients. Results All the musculocutaneous flaps survived completely and all the wounds healed smoothly. All the patients followed up for 2-6 months had no recurrence of osteomyelitis or return to their preoperative ambulatory status.Conclusion It is feasible to use the distallybased sural musculocutaneous flap for treatment of chronic calcaneal osteomyelitis.
Objective To determine whether the different durations and times of the ischemic preconditioning affect the effectiveness of the ischemic preconditioning. Methods Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group and the eight preconditioned groups of 10 rats each. A transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (TRAM) was elevated in each rat. The flaps were preconditioned by clamping the pedicle and reperfusing for 5 or 10 minutes per cycle. This was repeated for one or two cycles. The controls were simply perfused for 30 minutes. Each flap was then subjected to 4 hours of the global ischemia. Three rats in each group were killed for anestimate of the water content in the muscle and for observation on the muscularstructure under microscope. The flap surface survival areas of the other rats were calculated on the 7th postoperative day by the computerized video planimetry. Results The water content in the muscle was evidently reduced. The mean survival area of the flap in every preconditioned group increased by2-3 times compared with that of the controls(P＜0.001). The different proceduresof the ischemic preconditioning produced different protective effects. Conclusion The ischemic preconditioning is an available means to alleviate an ischemiareperfusion injury to the transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap in rats. The effect of the ischemic preconditioning is affected by the duration and time of the ischemic preconditioning.
OBJECTIVE: To explore a method to repair severe radiation-induced ulcer and evaluate its clinical effects. METHODS: From August 1988 to December 1998, 12 cases of severe radiation-induced ulcer were treated by muscular or musculocutaneous flap transfer, which included 1 case of pectoralis major muscular flap, 3 cases of three-lobed transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap, 2 cases of latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, 1 case of tensor fascia lata musculocutaneous flap, 1 case of longitudinal rectus abdominis musculocutaneous and tensor fascia lata musculocutaneous flap, 1 case of gastrocnemius muscular flap, 1 case of gluteus major musculocutaneous flap, huge filleted musculocutaneous flap from lower limbs in 1 case and from upper limbs in 1 cases. RESULTS: All the flaps survived. Primary healing occurred in 9 cases and secondary healing in 3 cases. The extensive multiple ulcers in 2 cases were repaired with filleted limb musculocutaneous flap, and patients were saved. And in other 3 cases, the chest wall defect as the result of radionecrosis were repaired with simultaneous breast reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Muscular or musculocutaneous flaps have abundant blood supply, they are ideal tissue to fill the cavity and repair the defect, especially in repairing severe radiation-induced ulcers.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of musculocutaneous flap containing the upper part of bilateral trapezius muscles in the treatment of cicatricial contracture deformity of neck. METHODS From January 1990 to January 1997, twelve cases were treated by musculocutaneous flap containing upper part of bilateral trapezius muscles from 14 cm x 16 cm to 28 cm x 11 cm in size, and 9 of the 12 cases were followed up for 2-3 years. RESULTS Primary healing of the wounds was observed in all of the cases. The function and the external appearance were satisfactory, and no graft contracture was found in the 9 cases followed up. CONCLUSION The musculocutaneous flap grafting was an ideal method in the repair of soft tissue defect of neck, with the advantage of invariable blood supply and simple operative procedure.
In order to study the clinical efficacy of facial artery musculocutaneous flap on repairing the defect of the floor of mouth, 21 patients had received this type of treatment from 1991 to 1997. The size of the flaps ranged from 8.0 x 3.4 cm to 12.1 x 5.4 cm and the average age of these patients was 59.5 years old. The donor site was closed directly. Nineteen flaps survived completely, while necrosis occurred at the apex of the other 2 flaps, which healed by ordinary management. The applied anatomy of the flap and the design and the main points of the operation were reported in details. The advantage of the flap and the prevention of facial malformation following operation were discussed. The conclusion was that this type of flap was ideal for reconstruction of the defects of floor of the mouth.