Objective To explore the method and effectiveness of abdominal expanded subdermal vascular plexus skin flaps in repairing dorsal hand scar. Methods Between May 2005 and October 2010, 16 cases of dorsal hand scars weretreated with the abdominal expanded flaps. There were 13 males and 3 females, aged 22.5 years on average (range, 10-35 years). Defect was caused by burn in 10 cases, hot crush injury in 4 cases, and scald injury in 2 cases. The average scar formation was 21 months (range, 1 year and 6 months to 2 years). The patients had flexion restriction of metacarpophalangeal joint and interphalangeal joint. The scar size ranged from 11 cm × 7 cm to 18 cm × 10 cm. The expander was implanted in abdominal skin and inflated with water regularly at the first stage. After 2 weeks, the expanded pedicled flap was trasferred to repair wounds in which scars were excised. The flap size ranged from 12 cm × 9 cm to 19 cm × 12 cm. After being cut off the pedicle at 14 days, the fingers were divided, and the digital web was formed. The abdominal donor site was directly sutured. Results All flaps survived. The wound and donor site achieved primary heal ing. Sixteen cases were followed up 1 year and 2 months to 3 years with an average of 2 years and 3 months. The flaps had soft texture and good flexibil ity. At last follow-up, hand function was graded as excellent in 13 cases, good in 2 cases, and poor in 1 case with an excellent and good rate of 93.7% according to the total active motion evaluation system. Conclusion Abdominal expanded subdermal vascular plexus skin flap is an effective method to repair large scar of the dorsal hand because it has satisfactory texture, fast rebuilding of blood supply, and large area of survival.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of the dermal pedicled nasolabial flap with subdermal vascular network for repairing nasolabial skin defects. Methods Between July 2008 and July 2011, 43 cases of nasolabial defects wererepaired with dermal pedicled nasolabial flap with subdermal vascular network. There were 22 males and 21 females with a median age of 36 years (range, 6-68 years). All defects were caused by excision of lesions, including pigmented nevus in 23 cases, scar in 16 cases, and inflammatory granuloma in 4 cases. The disease duration was 3 months to 35 years. Lesions were located at the tip of the nose in 11 cases, at the alae of the nose in 10 cases, at the alae and tip of the nose in 10 cases, at the alar groove of the nose in 8 cases, and at upper l ip in 4 cases. The defect size ranged from 0.7 cm × 0.5 cm to 1.2 cm × 1.0 cm. The flap size ranged from 1.0 cm × 0.7 cm to 1.5 cm × 1.2 cm. Results All flaps survived and incisions at donors and wound healed by first intention. After operation, 34 patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 10 months). The texture and color of the flap were similar to adjacent skin. No obvious scar was observed at donor sites. Conclusion The dermal pedicled nasolabial flap with subdermal vascular network has the advantages of flexible flap transplantation, small damage to donor site, and low incidence of bloated subcutaneous tunnel.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical application of subdermal vascular network skin flap pre-fabricated by ultrasonic liposuction in reconstruction of digital avulsion. METHODS: Forty-seven injured fingers of 23 cases were treated from June 1997 to February 2000. Conventional abdominal skin flap was elevated, according to the size of digital avulsion, and subcutaneous fat was removed with scissors. Ultrasonic liposuction technology was adopted, in order to minimize the injury of subdermal vascular vessels, to remove the fat particles close to the vascular network. Finally, the pre-fabricated skin flap was used to repair the digital avulsion. The vascular pedicle was severed in 5 to 7 days after operation. The range of skin flap was 4 cm x 3 cm to 8 cm x 7 cm, and the ratio of length and width was (2 to 3) to 1. RESULTS: All the skin flaps were survived. Twenty-one patients were available for postoperative follow-up for 6 to 24 months. The motion of interphalangeal joint achieved functional recovery, and the sensation of pain, temperature and taction recovered well. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic liposuction does not obviously injure the subdermal vascular network skin flap, it is a simple and safe method for treatment of digital avulsion.
OBJECTIVE In order to solve the difficult problem of one-stage repair of degloving injury of multiple fingers, the common pedicled ilio-inguinal-hypogastric subdermal vascular network skin flap was designed and the multi-lobes skin flap was performed subsequently. METHODS From 1993 to 1996, there were 5 cases with degloving injuries of multiple fingers were treated by this flap. There were 2 males and 3 females and the age ranged from 7 to 19 years old. RESULTS After operation, the pedicles of the flap was detached between 12 to 16 days and all of the flaps survived completely. Patients were followed up for 6-18 months. After repair, the contour and skin colour of the digits were excellent, and the motion of the interphalangeal joints and skin sensation were good. CONCLUSION The conclusion was as follows: The newly designed skin flap was characterized by the advantages of duration of treatment being short, excellent contour and more rapid recovery of function. It could be used for one-stage repair of degloving injury of multiple fingers.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy of thin flap with subdermal vascular network of the neck-pectoral region on repair of the contracture of the burn scar on the neck. METHODS From March 1990 to May 1998, 21 cases of deformity of neck due to burn scar were repaired with the thin flap ranging from 8 cm x 5 cm to 14 cm x 8 cm, and all of the cases were followed up for 6 to 42 months. RESULTS Except partial necrosis of the distal end of the flap in 1 case, the flaps in the other 20 cases all survived and presented a satisfactory appearance and function. CONCLUSION The thin flap with subdermal vascular network in neck-pectoral region may provide a large area of flap, and could be easily transferred. It’s an ideal flap for the repair of skin defect on the neck.
In this study, 8 pigs, weight ranged from 25 to 30kg, were used. Island skin flaps with the deep circumflex iliac artery were designed as pedicle on both buttocks. In the distal half of the island skin flap, which had been made on the right buttock, a subdermal vascular network island skin flap was made by preserving the subdermal vascular network. Blood supply between the two types of skin flap was compared by skin temperature, laser Doppler, fluorescent stain, histological examination, ink perfusion microangiography and transparent specimen technique. The observation showed thatthe blood supply of the subdermal vascular network island skin flap was decreased prominently in comparison with that of the conventional island skin flap. The subdermal vascular network skin flap was actually a combination of axial pattern skin flap with randomized skin flap.
Abstract The narrow pedicled intercostal cutaneous perforater (np-ICP) thin flaps were successfully used for reconstruction of hand deformity from scar contraction. This flap was designed with a narrow pedicle (3～5cm in width) which included ICPs of 4th～9th intercostal spaces, and with awide distal part (the maximum is 15cm×15cm) which covered the lower chest and upper abdomen. The thickness of flap was cut until the subdermal vascular networkwas observed. The pedicle was divided between the 7th～14th days after operation. Sixteen flaps in 15 cases were transferred for covering of the skin defects at the dorsum of the hand. The perforators which were included in the narrow pediclewere mostly from the 7th intercostal spaces in 9 flaps. Fifteen of the 16 flapswere survived almost completely, except in one case there was necrosis of the distal portion of the flap. It seemed that this flap was more useful than the conventional methods, not only functionally but also aesthetically. Moreover, the operative techinque was more simple and safer than the island or free intercostalflap due to without the necessity to dissect the main trunk of the intercostalneurovascular bundle. Gentle pressure on the thinning portion of the flap for a short time after operation was important.
The application of subdermal vascular network skin flap (SVN flap) with axial-pattern of artery for skin and soft tissues defects on the extremities of 39 cases was reported. The tyes of flaps included:SVN direct cutaneous artery skin flap in 23 eases, SVN island skin flap in 13 eases, and vaseularized SVN skin flap in 3 cases, All flaps were survived except in one ease of vaseularized SVN skin flap failed. The patients were followed for 6 months to 1 year after operation, the grafted areas showed good looking, no hypertrophy of scar tissue, and normal texture. This type of flap had the advantages of axial-pattern skin flap and that of the SVN skin flap as well, and could be widely applied in the clinical fields.