Repair of extremity scar contracture by expanded local flaps / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To investigate the application of expanded local flap in repairing extremity scars.Methods Thirty patients with extremity scars contracture as a result of trauma,surgery or infection during July 2000 and March 2013 were included.There were 11 male and 19 female patients with age ranging from 11 to 34 years.Tissue expansion,scar resection,flap transfer and scar management were involved in this process.Results There 24 patients suffered from upper extremity scars and 6 patients suffered from lower extremity scars.Expander exposure was noted in 3 patients,and 3 patients suffered from infection during the expansion.During the 6-month to 1-year follow-up,all patients satisfied with the results in terms of the skin texture,color,flexibility after the treatment with expanded local skin flap.Conclusions The expanded local flaps are suitable for the repair of the longitudinal and oblique scars in the extremities.

Effects of botulinum toxin type A on accelerating skin expansion in rats / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To observe the effect of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) on the rate of skin expansion and the immediate retract rate of skin flaps in rats,and to explore new methods for drug-assisted skin expansion.Methods 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups.After BTX-A or normal saline was injected intradermally into the back marking area,an expander was implanted.The expanders were inflated periodically by injecting normal saline to reach the designated intraexpander pressure.The inflation volume was recorded and the area of marked region was measured regularly.After 4 weeks of expansion,the expanded tissues were harvested and the immediate retract rates were measured.The hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe the thickness of epidermis,dermis and the fibrous capsule,while Masson staining for detection of fibrous capsule collagen.Immunohistochemical staining with α-smooth muscle actin for myofibroblasts was also performed.Results The mean inflation volume and area of marked region of BTX-A group were significantly greater than those of the control group.There were lower immediate retract rate,thinner fibrous capsule,less collagen content and fewer α-SMA positive myofibroblasts in the fibrous capsule of the BTX-A group with statistically significant differences (P ＜ 0.05).There was no signigicant difference in the thicknesses of epidermis and dermis between the two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusions BTX-A can inhibit the formation of fibrous capsule to promote skin expansion,while reducing the immediate retract rate.It possess a potential for assisting effectively skin expansion.

Reconstruction of lower eyelid ectropion with expanded forehead pedicled flap / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To investigate the application of the frontal branch of superficial temporal vessels pedicled flap in repairing lower eyelid ectropion.Methods Eight cases were collected from patients diagnosed with lower eyelid ectropion in our hospital from April 2012 to April 2015.In phase 1 of operation,the dilators were implanted into the frontal branch of superficial temporal vessels and fully expanded by normal saline injection;In phase 2,the scar of lower eyelid was incised,and the expanded forehead flaps were transferred to cover the wound after the lower eyelid released back to normal anatomy location;In phase 3,the flap delay operation was manipulated 3 weeks after phase 2,and the left wound after scar excision was finished by pedicle division 1 week later.Results All patients in the study showed a good appearance and function of lower eyelid.There were no complications such as flap congestion and necrosis occurred.Meantime there were no relapses observed according to the follow-ups ranging from 6 months to 1 year.Conclusions The application of the frontal branch of superficial temporal vessels pedicled flap shows a promising procedure in treatment of lower eyelid ectropion.

Repair of upper lip scar by expanded submental flap / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To discuss the repairing methods of the wound after upper lip lesion excision.Methods The wound after upper lip lesion excision was repaired by expanded pedicled submental flap.The 3 cm-long incision was located in 1 cm to sub-mandible.The 100 ml expander was placed beneath the platysma,and the aqueducts and spigots of the expanders were laid out of the skin.After complete expansion,the spastic scars of the upper lip and nasal bottom were resolved,the nasal columella and upper lip were put back to the normal position.The pedicled submental flap was transferred to the wound after upperlip excision according to the size of the wound.The pedicle was severed after 3 weeks.Results There were 5 cases of the expanded pedicled submental flap to repair the wound after upper lip excision.The flap survived without complications.The appearances were satisfied by the patients.Conclusions The method of the expanded submental flap is suitable for the wound after upper lip excision.

Expanded deltopectoral skin flap for repair of wounds after excision of facial benign tumor / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective To explore the repair method for wounds after excision of facial benign tumors.Methods Unilateral or bilateral deltopectoral skin flaps were expanded depending on the area of the facial benign tumor.Expander was implanted underneath deltopectoral flap region through an incision inferior to the clavicle.When expansion was completed,all or part of the benign tumor was excised before designing the flap according to the area of the skin defect.The area of the skin flap should be more than that of skin defect with 10％ to 15％.The pedicle wound could be sealed by rolling it around to form a tube or a hinge using the benign tumor and pedicle.The flap was delayed three weeks later and the pedicle was divided one week after flap delaying.Results All 20 cases got the satisfactory results with treatment of pedicled expanded deltopectoral skin flaps for repair of wounds after excision of facial benign tumor.Conclusions It is a better option to repair a large area wound after excision of facial benign tumor with an expanded deltopectoral skin flap.