ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the clinical results of using the free polyfoliate anterolateral thigh perforator flaps based on a single perforator in repair large soft tissue defects in extremities.Methods:Between March, 2014 and April, 2019, 9 patients with large soft tissue defects in extremities were repaired with the free polyfoliate anterolateral thigh perforator flaps based on a single perforator. One of the patients were repaired with bilateral free polyfoliate anterolateral thigh perforator flaps. Six defects on hand and wrist, 1 on forearm, 1 on shank and 1 on foot. The sizes of soft tissue defect ranged 5 cm×19 cm-17 cm×24 cm. All the wounds of donor site were closed primarily.Results:Seven flaps survived without vascular incidence. One flap developed artery crisis after surgery with the bilateral free polyfoliate anterolateral thigh perforator flaps. After emergency re-anastomosing, the flap survived successfully. Necrosis on one-leaf occurred in one flap, which was finally repaired by skin graft. The clinical results were satisfactory after 3-48 months of followed-up. The scars of the donor site were not obvious.Conclusion:The free polyfoliate anterolateral thigh perforator flaps can be designed with only one perforator. The flap can be changed into a variety of shapes based on the combination of the polyfoliate flaps in order to repair a large soft tissue defects in extremity. The polyfoliate flap has advantages of less donor site injury with a high survival rate.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the feasibility of tibial nerve motor branches transfer to the deep fibular nerve in an anatomical study.Methods Twenty-three sides lower limbs from 12 adult cadavers which preserved in Formalin were used for dissection of the tibial nerve and its all motor branches,and the proximal deep and superficial fibular nerve.Experimental measurement were performed for the parameters of each branch such as length,diameter,the location of original point relative to the level of the fibular head.The diameter of proximal part of the deep fibular nerve was measured simultaneously.Finally,the length from original point of each branch to the fibular neck was also measured during simulation of nerve transfer procedure.Results The average length of motor branches to the flexor digitorum longus muscle,to the flexor hallucis longus muscle and the superficial branches to the soleus muscle were (95.70 ± 13.40)mm,(96.90± 13.60)mm and (73.60 ± 12.00)mm respectively.Their average diameter were (0.63 ± 0.16)mm,(0.65 ±0.20)mm and ( 1.56 ± 0.26)mm respectively.The average diameter of proximal deep fibular nerve was (2.54± 0.26)mm.Based on length,branches to the flexor digitorum longus muscle and flexor hallucis longus muscle were adequate for direct nerve transfer to the deep fibular nerve in all specimens without interpositional grafr.And in 22 specimens (95.7 percent),the superficial branches to the soleus muscle were long enough to directly transfer.Other branches of the tibial nerve were not adequate for direct nerve transfer Conclusion This study confirmed the anatomical feasibility of using motor branches from tibial nerve for direct transfer to restore the deep fibular nerve.The superficial branches to soleus muscle were the best donor nerve if considering the branches,length,diameter and the difficulty of surgical procedures.