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Objective@#To explore the clinical effects of perforator flaps in the reconstruction of hypertrophic scar contracture deformities in the large joints of extremities after severe burns.@*Methods@#From January 2008 to January 2018, 72 patients (53 males and 19 females, aged 5 to 63 years) with hypertrophic scar contracture deformities and functional disorder in the large joints of extremities after severe burns were admitted to the Department of Burns of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. Scar hyperplasia and contracture deformity were located at shoulder joints of 28 patients, elbow joints of 15 patients, hip joints of 7 patients, knee joints of 17 patients, and ankle joints of 5 patients. The wound area of patients after the scars were excised and released ranged from 7 cm×6 cm to 34 cm×12 cm. The wounds were repaired with corresponding unexpanded perforator flaps or expanded perforator flaps according to the joint location and existing soft tissue conditions. The size of flaps ranged from 7 cm×6 cm to 35 cm×14 cm. The donor sites of 51 patients were sutured directly; the donor sites of 21 patients were repaired by segmented grafts or mesh grafts. The adopted surgeries, the survival of flaps after surgery, and the functional recovery of the joints during follow-up were recorded.@*Results@#Among the 72 patients, 53 patients had perforator flap repairing surgery only; 19 patients had perforator flap repairing surgery and skin grafting. Among them, 12 patients had expanded perforator flaps, 60 patients had unexpanded perforator flaps. The perforator flaps were performed free transplantation in 9 patients, pedicled transplantation in 61 patients, and groin transplantation in 2 patients. At last, 67 flaps survived completely, while 5 flaps had distal-end necrosis which were healed after dressing change or skin grafting after debridement. During follow-up of 6 months to 3 years, the joint function of all the patients was obviously improved. The abduction angles of shoulder joints were over 110°; the hip, knee, and elbow joints could reach the straight position, and the flexion was normal; the foot drop deformity was corrected, and the appearance of flaps was good with obvious extension compared with the original state.@*Conclusions@#Perforator flaps are suitable for reconstruction of hypertrophic scar contracture deformities in the large joints of extremities of patients after severe burns. They can restore the joint function to the greatest extent as well as repair the wounds.
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Objective@#To explore the limb salvage strategies for patients with high voltage electric burns of extremities on the verge of amputation.@*Methods@#From January 2003 to March 2019, 61 patients with high voltage electric burns of extremities on the verge of amputation were treated in our hospital. All of them were male, aged 15-58 years, including 49 cases of upper limbs and 12 cases of lower limbs. The wound area after thorough debridement ranged from 15 cm×11 cm to 35 cm×20 cm. Emergency surgery for reconstruction of the radial artery with saphenous vein graft under eschar was performed in 5 cases. The arteries of 36 patients (including 7 cases with simultaneous ulnar artery and radial artery reconstruction) were reconstructed with various forms of blood flow-through after debridement, among them, the radial artery of 13 cases, the ulnar artery of 8 cases, the brachial artery of 8 cases, and the femoral artery of 2 cases were reconstructed with saphenous vein graft; the radial artery of 3 cases and the ulnar artery of 7 cases were reconstructed with the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery graft; the radial artery of 2 cases were reconstructed with greater omentum vascular graft; the reflux vein of 3 cases with wrist and forearm annular electric burns were reconstructed with saphenous vein graft. According to the actual situation of the patients, 12 cases of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, 6 cases of paraumbilical flap, 28 cases of anterolateral thigh flap, 10 cases of abdominal combined axial flap, 5 cases of greater omentum combined with flap and/or skin grafts were used to repair the wounds after debridement and cover the main wounds as much as possible. Some cases were filled with muscle flap in deep defect at the same time. The area of tissue flaps ranged from 10 cm×10 cm to 38 cm×22 cm. For particularly large wounds and annular wounds, the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, the paraumbilical flap, the abdominal combined axial flap, and the greater omentum combined with flap and/or skin grafts were used more often. Donor sites of three patients were closed directly, and those of 58 patients were repaired with thin and medium split-thickness skin or mesh skin grafts. The outcome of limb salvage, flap survival, and follow-up of patients in this group were recorded.@*Results@#All the transplanted tissue flaps survived in 61 patients. Fifty-six patients had successful limb salvage, among them, 31 limbs were healed after primary surgery; 20 limbs with flap infection and tissue necrosis survived after debridement and flap sutured in situ; 5 limbs with flap infection, radial artery thrombosis, and hand blood supply crisis survived after debridement and radial artery reconstruction with saphenous vein graft. Five patients had limb salvage failure, among them, 3 patients with wrist electric burns had embolism on the distal end of the transplanted blood vessels, without condition of re-anastomosis, and the hands gradually necrotized; although the upper limb of one patient was salvaged at first, due to the extensive necrosis and infection at the distal radius and ulna and the existence of hand blood supply under flap, considering prognostic function and economic benefits, amputation was required by the patient; although the foot of one patient was salvaged at first, due to the repeated infection, sinus formation, extensive bone necrosis of foot under flap, dullness of sole and dysfunction in walking for a long time, amputation was required by the patient. During the follow-up of 6 months to 5 years, 56 patients had adequate blood supply in the salvaged limbs, satisfied appearance of flaps, and certain recovery of limb function.@*Conclusions@#Timely revascularization, early thorough debridement, and transplantation of large free tissue flap, combined tissue flap, or blood flow-through flap with rich blood supply are the basic factors to get better limb preservation and recovery of certain functions for patients with high voltage electric burns of limbs on the verge of amputation.
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Objective@#To study the outcome of perforator flap combined with mesh in repairing cicatricial abdominal hernia after deep burn.@*Methods@#From June 2000 to June 2016, 11 cases of cicatricial abdominal wall hernia after deep burn were treated. 8 cases were caused by electrical burn, 2 cases by stove burn and 1 case by molten iron burn. All of them were Ⅳ degree burn of abdominal wall. The overall treatment time was 1-11 years, with the average of 4.1 years. The hernias were 6 cm × 6 cm to 12 cm × 11 cm in size. The abdominal wall hernia was repaired following the process of scar excision, mesh and perforator flap transfer and defect repairment. 3 kinds of mesh materials were used, polypropylene mesh (n=7), composite mesh (n=2), and acellular allogenic dermis (n=2). The size of meshes ranged from 8 cm ×8 cm to 16 cm ×13 cm. Meanwhile, paraumbilical perforator flaps were used in 5 patients, and anterolateral thigh perforator flaps were 6. The flaps were 18 cm ×10 cm to 22 cm ×13 cm in size.@*Results@#All 11 cases of abdominal wall hernia were repaired. Follow-up period was 6 months to 2 years. There was no recurrence was found. The shape of the flap was satisfying.@*Conclusions@#The perforator flap combined with mesh is a good method to repair cicatricial abdominal wall hernia after deep burn.
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Objective@#To explore the methods and effects of wound repair and functional reconstruction of high-voltage electrical burns in wrists.@*Methods@#From January 2009 to June 2016, 71 patients with high-voltage electrical burns in wrists were hospitalized, with 118 wrist wounds including 21 of type Ⅰ, 69 of type Ⅱ, 9 of type Ⅲ, and 19 of type Ⅳ. According to the wrist injuries, different surgical operations were performed. Forearm amputation was conducted in 20 wrists with necrosis in the distal end. On the basis of fasciotomy for decompression, early debridement was performed on the other 98 wrist wounds. After debridement, wounds with area ranging from 10 cm×7 cm to 30 cm×18 cm were repaired with tissue flaps with abundant blood supply. Thirty-two wounds were repaired with pedicled groin flaps, 11 wounds with pedicled paraumbilical flaps, 3 wounds with pedicled anterolateral thigh island flaps, 9 wounds with combined abdominal axial pattern flaps, 37 wounds with free skin flaps or myocutaneous flaps, and 6 wounds with flow-through descending branch of lateral femoral circumflex artery flaps, with tissue flap area ranging from 12 cm×8 cm to 34 cm×20 cm. Ulnar artery or radial artery vascular reconstruction was performed in 20 wrist wounds. Forty-one donor sites were sutured directly, while 14 were closed by thin split-thickness skin grafts from same-side thighs, and 43 were closed by thin split-thickness skin grafts from opposite-side thighs. Fifty-three wrist wounds were performed with tendon and nerve repair surgery, of which 20 were performed with simple tendon and nerve release surgery. Flexor digitorum profundus tendons and (or) flexor pollicis longus tendons were reconstructed with autologous or allogeneic tendon transplantation in 33 wrist wounds, and the median nerve was repaired with sural nerve graft in 21 wrist wounds. In 6 to 24 months after the last operation, tendon function of 53 wrist wounds which had tendon repair was evaluated with finger total active motion (TAM) method, while median nerve function of 21 wrist wounds which had median nerve repair was evaluated with integrate estimation method.@*Results@#(1) After forearm amputation, the incisions of 20 wrists with necrosis in the distal end were healed. (2) Among the 98 tissue flaps, 90 had good blood flow, while 8 had distal necrosis, of which 6 were healed after necrotic tissue removal and skin grafting, and two were sutured directly after debridement. Infection occurred under 7 flaps, of which 3 were healed by dressing change, and 4 were healed after second debridement. Twenty wrist wounds which had radial artery or ulnar artery repair had good blood supply of hand and amputation was avoided. During follow-up of 1 to 3 years, the incisions and flaps of patients who had tissue flap repair surgery healed well. (3) The excellent and good rate of TAM in each finger of the corresponding affected limbs of 53 wrist wounds which had tendon and nerve repair surgery was 51%. (4) Twenty wrists which had simple tendon and nerve release surgery were followed up for 1 to 2 years. The strength of muscle dominated by the median nerve was restored to grade Ⅴ in 1 wrist, grade Ⅳ in 3 wrists, and grade Ⅲ in 2 wrists. The strength of muscle dominated by the ulnar nerve was restored to grade Ⅳ in 3 wrists, with no recovery in other wrists. Sensory function examination showed grade S0 in 4 wrists, grade S1 in 2 wrists, grade S2 in 3 wrists, grade S3 in 8 wrists, and grade S4 in 3 wrists. Twenty-one wrists which had median nerve repair were followed up for 1 to 2 years. There was no recovery in muscle strength dominated by the median nerve. Sensory function examination showed grade S0 in 3 wrists, grade S1 in 5 wrists, grade S2 in 8 wrists, and grade S3 in 5 wrists.@*Conclusions@#It is a good method to sequentially conduct early fasciotomy for decompression, early debridement, vascular reconstruction, transplant of tissue flap with abundant blood supply, tendon and nerve repair in repairing electrical burn wounds of wrists, avoiding amputation, and reconstructing hand function according to the condition of electrical burns of wrists.
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Objective@#To investigate the effects of flap or myocutaneous flap combined with fascia lata or composite mesh on repairing wounds in abdomen of patients with severe high-voltage electrical burn.@*Methods@#From January 2010 to May 2017, 11 patients with severe high-voltage electrical burn in abdomen were hospitalized in our burn wards. In 3 hours to 7 days after burn, operation was performed when patients were in stable condition. After debridement, intestines with necrosis or perforation in 4 patients with peritoneal defects were resected and intestinal anastomosis was performed. The size of abdominal wounds after debridement ranged from 13 cm×9 cm to 41 cm×32 cm. Five patients were treated with rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and size of which ranged from 14 cm×10 cm to 30 cm×17 cm. Among the above 5 patients, 4 patients with peritoneal defects used composite mesh of 25 cm×20 cm to enhance abdominal wall. Three patients were treated with tensor fascia lata myocutaneous flap, and size of the flap ranged from 24 cm×10 cm to 27 cm×13 cm. Three patients were treated with anterolateral thigh flap with fascia lata, and one of them was treated with the lobulated flap; size of the flap ranged from 18 cm×13 cm to 25 cm×15 cm. The later 6 patients used fascia lata of flap to enhance abdominal wall. The donor sites were sutured directly or repaired with intermediate split-thickness skin graft of thigh.@*Results@#After operation, flaps or myocutaneous flaps of patients were survived, and strength of abdominal wall recovered. During follow-up of 6 month to 1 year, flaps or myocutaneous flaps were in good appearance, with no ankylenteron or abdominal wall hernia.@*Conclusions@#Flap or myocutaneous flap combined with fascia lata or composite mesh can achieve good effects on repairing severe high-voltage electrical burn wounds in abdomen.
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Objective@#To investigate the effects of flow-through descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery flap on repairing high-voltage electrical burn wounds of wrist of patients.@*Methods@#From January 2014 to June 2016, 5 patients with high-voltage electrical burn of unilateral wrist were hospitalized in our burn ward, with extensive necrosis of skin soft tissue of burn wrist. Five patients were transferred to our burn ward 6 to 12 days post injury after undergoing emergency dermotomy of wrist to reduce tension in other hospitals. In 2 to 3 days after admission, operation was performed by two surgeon group at the same time, when patients′ general condition were stable. One group underwent debridement and the other group designed and dissected flap according to the range of skin soft tissue defect of wrist. Wrist wounds after debridement ranged from 15 cm×10 cm to 24 cm×15 cm. Three patients were treated with flow-through descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery flap and great saphenous vein for repairing wounds of wrist and reconstruction of ulnar and radial artery. Two patients were treated with flow-through descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery flap for repairing wounds of wrist and reconstruction of ulnar artery. The dissected flaps ranged from 16 cm×12 cm to 26 cm×16 cm and the length of bridging vessel ranged from 15 to 21 cm.@*Results@#The flow-through descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery flaps of five patients survived well. Wounds of 4 patients healed and wounds of 1 patient with infection under the flap on 3 days after operation healed after changing wound dressing and undergoing debridement for 2 weeks. After the operation, wrists and hands of 5 patients had adequate blood supply and ulnar and radial artery recovered patency. Follow-up of patients for 6 months to 1 year showed good flap appearance and adequate blood supply of burn hands.@*Conclusions@#The flow-through descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery flap can repair wrist wounds and recover blood supply of hands and it is a good method for repairing high-voltage electrical burns of wrist.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore selection and method of tissue flaps for the repair of severe defects of skin and soft tissue around the knee joints.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-four patients with wounds around the knee joints, all accompanied by exposure or necrosis of tendon or bone and exposure of prosthesis, were hospitalized in our burn center from June 2008 to December 2014. Five of them were with knee joint injury. After thorough debridement or tumor resection, the wound area ranged from 5 cm × 5 cm to 46 cm × 22 cm. Three patients were repaired with free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps, 7 were repaired with modified sartorius myocutaneous flaps, 8 were repaired with gastrocnemius myocutaneous flaps, one was repaired with gastrocnemius muscle flap, two were repaired with posterior leg flaps combined with gastrocnemius muscle flaps, one was repaired with femoral biceps muscle flap combined with gastrocnemius muscle flap, 13 were repaired with reverse anterolateral thigh island flaps, two were repaired with reverse anterolateral thigh island flap combined with gastrocnemius myocutaneous flaps, two were repaired with superior lateral genicular flaps, 4 were repaired with reverse posterior thigh island flaps, 11 were repaired with saphenous artery flaps. Patellar ligament was reconstructed in 4 patients. The tissue flap size ranged from 5 cm × 5 cm to 38 cm × 19 cm. Some donor sites were sutured directly, and the others were closed by split-thickness skin grafting obtained from ipsilateral or contralateral legs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among 59 tissue flaps of 54 patients, 55 tissue flaps of 50 patients survived, while necrosis of the distal part was observed in 4 tissue flaps, including one saphenous artery flap, two reverse anterolateral thigh island flaps, and one free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. Among them, 3 flaps with necrosis at the distal part healed after debridement followed by skin grafting, one myocutaneous flap healed by transplanting gastrocnemius myocutaneous flap. During the follow-up period of 6 to 36 months, the tissue flaps were in good appearance and texture, and knee joint function was good in most cases. In 4 patients the knee joint function was satisfactory after patellar ligament reconstruction, while stiffness was observed in 4 out of 5 patients with knee joint injury.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps are preferred to repair extensive defects around the knee joints. Reverse anterolateral thigh island flaps followed by saphenous artery flaps are preferred to repair wounds around the anterior knee. Wounds of the lateral knee are mainly repaired with reverse anterolateral thigh island flaps, and for small wounds the use of the superior lateral genicular flaps may be considered. Wounds of the medial knee can be repaired with modified sartorius myocutaneous flaps or saphenous artery flaps. Wounds of the posterior knee can be repaired with reverse posterior thigh island flaps or superior lateral genicular flaps. Wounds with severe infection or large space can be repaired with gastrocnemius myocutaneous flaps or muscle flaps or modified sartorius myocutaneous flaps. Anterolateral thigh flaps and gastrocnemius myocutaneous flaps are preferred in cases with indication of patellar ligament reconstruction.</p>