ABSTRACT
Objective@#To explore the effects of anteriolateral thigh perforator flap and fascia lata transplantation in combination with computed tomography angiography (CTA) on repair of electrical burn wounds of head with skull exposure and necrosis.@*Methods@#Seven patients with head electrical burns accompanied by skull exposure and necrosis were admitted to our burn center from March 2016 to December 2017. Head CTA was performed before the operation. The diameters of the facial artery and vein or the superficial temporal artery and vein were measured, and their locations were marked on the body surface. Preoperative CTA for flap donor sites in lower extremities were also performed to track the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery with the similar diameter as the recipient vessels on the head, and their locations were marked on the body surface. Routine wound debridement and skull drilling were performed successively. The size of the wounds after debridement ranged from 12 cm×8 cm to 20 cm×12 cm, and the areas of skull exposure ranged from 8 cm×6 cm to 15 cm×10 cm. Anteriolateral thigh perforator flaps with areas from 13 cm×9 cm to 21 cm×13 cm containing 5-10 cm long vascular pedicles were designed and dissected accordingly. The fascia lata under the flap with area from 5 cm×2 cm to 10 cm×3 cm was dissected according to the length of vascular pedicle. The fascia lata was transplanted to cover the exposed skull, and the anteriolateral thigh perforator flap was transplanted afterwards. The descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and its accompanying vein of the flap were anastomosed with superficial temporal artery and vein or facial artery and vein before the suture of flap. The flap donor sites were covered by intermediate split-thickness skin graft collected from contralateral thigh or abdomen.@*Results@#The descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and its accompanying vein were anastomosed with superficial temporal artery and vein in six patients, while those with facial artery and vein in one patient. All the flaps survived after the operation, and no vascular crisis was observed. Wound healing was satisfactory. One patient was lost to follow up. Six patients were followed up for 6 to 10 months. The patients were bald in the head operation area with acceptable appearance. No psychiatric symptom such as headache or epileptic seizure was reported. The flap donor sites were normal in appearance. The muscle strength of the lower extremities all reached grade V. The sensation and movement of the lower extremities were normal.@*Conclusions@#Anterolateral thigh perforator flap with fascia lata transplantation can effectively repair electrical burn wounds of head with skull exposure and necrosis. The fascia lata can be used to protect the vascular pedicle of flaps, which is beneficial to the survival of the flap. Preoperative head and lower extremities CTA can provide reference for intraoperative vascular exploration in donor site and recipient area, so as to shorten operation time.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Skin grafting is crucial for patients with deep burns, but limited source of autologous skin grafts is an existing difficulty. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of xenogeneic (porcine) acelular dermal matrix in the treatment of deep burn wounds and the feasibility of its application. METHODS:Forty-one patients with deep burn were divided into two groups according to the intention of the patients, 21 cases in control group and 20 cases in observational group, folowed by autologous split-thickness skin grafting alone or combined with different (porcine) acelular dermal matrix, respectively. After 12 months of folow-up, the graft success rate at postoperative 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks and skin graft contraction rate and wound repair at postoperative 3, 6, 9, 12 months were observed and compared between two groups. Moreover, levels of inflammatory factors were detected and compared between two groups at postoperative 1, 2, 3 months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The skin graft success rates showed no difference between two groups at postoperative 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks (P > 0.05). The skin graft contraction rates also showed no difference between two groups at postoperative 3, 6, 9, 12 months (P > 0.05). After 12 months of folow-up, no serious scar hyperplasia, but soft texture appeared in the control group. In the observational group, three cases presented with local pigmentation at the early stage, but it gradualy subsided with time; no obvious scar, but only smal, point-like scar, was visible, and the repaired wound exhibited soft touch. No adverse events and death occurred in both two groups. Experimental results show that the treatment of deep burns with autologous split-thickness skin grafting combined with xenogeneic (porcine) acelular dermal matrix is safe and effective, which can improve the quality of wound healing.