A Master Mind Game Code Algorithm Approach to Help Surgical Decision-Making between Retropharyngeal Fat Grafting and Pharyngoplasty for the Treatment of Velopharyngeal Incompetence

Abstract Introduction Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is a controversial pathology with many surgical options. Objectives To compare pharyngoplasty and retropharyngeal fat grafting and to build a prognostic tool to achieve perfect speech. Methods Retrospective observational cohort study of 114 patients operated for VPI from 1982 to 2019 in a single tertiary center. The instrumental assessment was made using an aerophonoscope and nasofibroscopy. The variables sex, age, genetic syndromes, and type of diagnosis were analyzed with logistic regression model adjusted with propensity score. To generalize results and to build a surgical predictive tool, a marginal analysis concludes the study. Results Among the patients (median [range] age 7 [4-48]), 63 (55.26%) underwent pharyngoplasty and 51 (44.74%) graft. The graft group had no complication, but it had a failure rate of 7.84%. The pharyngoplasty group had no failure, but one patient had postoperative obstructive sleep apnea. The marginal analysis demonstrated that age lower than 7 years, cleft lip and palate, absence of syndrome, and intermittent VPI were important predictive factors of good result regardless of surgical technique. Conclusions Without a statistical demonstration of the superiority of pharyngoplasty over graft, and in the uncertainty of literature background, our perfect-speech patient profile represents an important tool for a postoperative forecast of results in which, like in the Master Mind game, every feature has to be considered not individually but as a pattern of characteristics whose association contributes to the outcome.

Pedicled Flaps versus Free Flaps for Oral Cavity Cancer Reconstruction: A Comparison of Complications, Hospital Costs, and Functional Outcomes

Abstract Introduction Free flaps have been the preferred method for reconstruction after resection of oral cavity cancer. However, pedicled flaps remain valuable alternatives in appropriate settings. Objective The main objective of the present study was to compare surgical complications, hospital costs, and functional outcomes of oral cavity cancer patients who underwent soft tissue reconstruction with pedicled flaps or free flaps. Methods A total of 171 patients were included in the study. Ninety-eight underwent reconstruction with a pectoralis major, submental, temporalis, or supraclavicular pedicled flap, and in 73 patients, a radial forearm or anterolateral thigh free flap had been used. The cases were retrospectively reviewed, and a comparative analysis was carried out between the two groups. Results Recipient site and flap complications, speech, and swallowing functions did not differ between groups, but donor site complications, operative time, hospital stay, and costs were significantly reduced in the pedicled flap group compared with the free flap group. However, the pectoralis major flap reconstruction resulted in a more inferior swallowing function than the free flap reconstruction. Conclusions With comparable complications and functional outcomes, while decreasing in costs, pedicled flaps are a useful alternative to free flaps in oral cavity cancer reconstruction. However, in an extensive defect (> 70 cm2), free flaps are the reconstruction of choice for the preservation of swallowing function.

Application of facial-submental artery island flap in reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects / 口腔疾病防治

@#The facial submental artery island flap (FSAIF) is a fasciocutaneous flap supplied by the facial submental artery. It is in close proximity with many oral and maxillofacial regions, and its tex ture and color are similar to those of the head and face. The flap has a constant and sufficient blood supply, and it is easy to prepare and has high survival rates and few complications. According to the tissue carried, FSAIF can be divided into fasciocutaneous flaps, myocutaneous flaps and simple flaps. The flap can also be made into an osteofasciocutaneous (myocutaneous) flap with a mandible to repair maxillary defects. Because this flap is a pedicled flap, it can greatly shorten the operation time, bed rest time and hospitalization time and has been widely used in repairing medium-sized defects of the oral and maxillofacial region. The indications for FSAIF in repairing maxillofacial defects should be strictly controlled. It can be safely used for benign or malignant tumors without cervical lymph node metastasis. For malignant tumors with cervical lymph node metastasis but without extranodal extension, the flap can be used on the premise of thorough neck dissection. The contraindication is cervical lymph node metastasis and extranodal extension of malignant tumors; therefore, other flaps should be selected for repair.

Application of nasolabial subcutaneous pedicled flap in repairing skin defect after resection of nasolabial mass / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To investigate the method and application experience of nasolabial subcutaneous pedicled flap in the repair of skin defect after resection of nasolabial mass.Methods:From December 2016 to December 2020, a total of 58 patients (43 cases of nevus, 12 cases of seborrheic keratosis and 3 cases of keratinacanthoma) were admitted to the Facial Neck Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, including 24 males and 34 females. They ranged from 17 to 55 years old, with an average age of 33 years. The minimum facial tumor area was 0.8 cm×0.8 cmand the maximum was 2.2 cm×2.0 cm. A local skin flap with a subcutaneous pedicle was designed preoperatively in the nasolabial groove area, and the subcutaneous pedicle was transferred to the defect area through subcutaneous tunnel or by disconnecting the surrounding tissue. The tumor was removed and the skin defect was closed at one stage. Postoperative complications were summarized and patient＇s satisfaction was investigated.Results:Follow-up period ranged from 6 to 48 months. All the 58 patients had primary healing of the transfer incisions, and all the flaps survived. The blood supply of the flaps was good, and the scar of the operative area was smooth. After resection of peri-lip mass, there was 1 case with obvious scar in the donor area of nasolabial groove, and the overall satisfaction rate was 98.3%.Conclusions:The application of nasolabial subcutaneous pedicled skin flap to repair the skin defect after resection of nasolabial tumor has the advantages of preventing the pulling deformation of the organ, it can be completed in one stage and repair the facial skin defect from a distant position. In addition, the thickness and color of the skin flap are similar to the defect site, and the scar of the donor site is not obvious, and so the appearance and function of the surgery can be satisfied.

Closure of Oronasal Fistulae Post Palatoraphy with Tongue Flap in Bilateral Complete Cleft Lip Palate Patient: A Case Report

ABSTRACT@#Oronasal fistulae are common complication following palatoraphy. There are several surgical procedures to repair oronasal fistulae. However, conventional oronasal fistulae closure technique is not always possible, especially when the surrounding tissue is replaced by fibrotic tissue due to previous palatoraphy. Tissue defects in oronasal fistulae should be replaced with tissues providing good vascularisation such as pedicle tongue flap. A case of pedicle tongue flap used to close oronasal fistulae was reported. Eleven-year-old girl, presented with oronasal fistulae and bilateral alveolar cleft after previous palatoraphy. The oronasal fistulae were closed with pedicled tongue flap. The healing was uneventful, and the division of the pedicle tongue flap was done three weeks later and closed primarily. There was no dehiscence of the wound and masticatory functions were recorded. Vascularised flap such as pedicle tongue flap is a preferred technique to close oronasal fistulae after palatoraphy.

Combining free tissue transfer with pedicled flap in reconstruction of extensive oromandibular malignancy defects: a clinical study

Background: Extensive composite defects of the oromandibular site involve skin, mandible, soft tissue and oral mucosa. Though many opine that with the coming on of free flap surgery, the pedicled flap is an outdated surgical option, the latter still has its uses. Free flaps are criticized as being medically risky, expensive, and time-consuming. Combining both these flaps in a single surgery would bring in the baggage of all negatives along with the benefits of these flaps.Methods: Over a period of 3 years, 13 patients with expected large composite oral defects after ablative surgery for malignancy were included in the study requiring both skin cover and mucosal lining. A one-stage reconstructive procedure employing combination of free and pedicled flaps was used. Data was abstracted pertaining to cancer demography and surgical outcome.Results: The free fibula osteocutaneous flap (FFOCF)- deltopectoral fasciocutaneous flap (DPF) combination was most commonly used (n=5), secondly by free radial forearm flap (FRAFF)-DPF combination (n=4), FRAFF- pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) amalgamation and FFOCF-PMMF (n=2). The complete flap survival rate was 88.5 percent with 3.8% percent total (1 of 26 flaps) and 7.7% partial (2 of 26 flaps) flap failures. Minimum follow-up period was 6 months with 2 (7.7%) recurrences and 2 (7.7%) mortalities.Conclusions: We believe that in combined use of free-flap and pedicled flap procedure for one-stage reconstruction of massive mandibular defects with through-and-through cheek defects is justified because it is safe and effective and improves the quality of life for these patients albeit a bit prolonged surgery which can effectively be shortened with 2 reconstructive team approach as in our study.

Pelvic limb reconstruction failed by propeller flap resolved with microsurgery

Reconstruction of lower limb defects is a constant challenge for surgeons, the etiology of the defect can be very variable from diabetic ulcers, traffic accidents, fall from height, oncological resections and many others. Free flaps have always been an important option because it has great results in complex reconstructions in lower limbs, it is a microvascular technique, so it has a higher level of complexity. This technique is usually reserved for extensive perilesional wide defects. On the other hand, the propeller flap, which is considered less invasive and easier as it does not involve microvascular surgery. An 18-year-old patient who had a fracture of the right tibial pylon due to a 7-meter drop, who after orthopedic treatment had a defect with exposure of ostesynthesis material of 3 cm in circumference in the medial malleolus. This defect was first managed with a propeller flap complicated with necrosis at 48 hours which was treated with sub atmospheric pressure system for 5 days and later with an ultra-thin anterolateral flap of the pelvic limb. Complete pedicled propeller flap failure is very rare but, because necrosis develops distally, even partial necrosis can expose bone, tendons, or other tissue. Some surgeons consider that propeller flap placement is risky in this location, especially the distal third of the lower leg a prefer to use free flaps. Whenever any pelvic member reconstruction plan fails in the distal third, the best and safest is the use of microsurgery even with the failure of a previous micro vascular flap.

Application of pedicled anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flap for full-thickness abdominal wall reconstruction after tumor resection / 中国修复重建外科杂志

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of pedicled anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flap for full-thickness abdominal wall reconstruction after tumor resection. Methods: Between September 2010 and December 2017, 18 patients with abdominal wall tumors were collected. There were 11 males and 7 females, with an average age of 45.2 years (range, 29-68 years). Histologic diagnosis included desmoid tumor in 8 cases, sarcomas in 6 cases, malignant teratoma in 2 cases, and colon adenocarcinoma in 2 cases. All abdominal wall defects were full-thickness defects. Peritoneum continuity was reconstructed with mesh; the lateral vastus muscular flaps were used to fill the dead space and rebuild the abdominal wall strength; the abdominal wall soft tissue defects were repaired with pedicled anterolateral thigh flaps. The size of abdominal wall defects ranged from 15 cm×6 cm to 25 cm×22 cm; the size of lateral vastus muscular flap ranged from 10 cm×8 cm to 22 cm×10 cm; the size of anterolateral thigh flap ranged from 14.0 cm×8.0 cm to 21.0 cm×8.5 cm. The bilateral pedicled anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flaps were harvested to repair the extensive abdominal wall defects in 2 cases. All donor sites were sutured directly. Results: All wounds healed smoothly and all flaps survived totally. All donor sites healed smoothly. The mean follow-up time was 22.5 months (range, 11-56 months). No tumor recurrence occurred, the abdominal function and appearance were satisfactory, no abdominal hernia was noted. Only linear scar left at the donor sites. Conclusion: Pedicled anterolateral thigh myocutaneous flap combined with mesh is fit for large full-thickness abdominal defect reconstruction.

Root coverage by modified coronally advanced flap with and without platelet-rich fibrin: A clinical study

Marginal gingival recession can cause major functional and esthetic problems. Advanced flaps are the simplest, yet unpredictable procedures for managing these conditions. The predictability of root coverage can be increased by combining coronally advanced flap (CAF) or its modified approach with other regenerative techniques. Objective: To ascertain the potential benefits of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on modified CAF for the treatment of gingival recession. Materials and Methods: Study comprised of 12 patients with Millers' class I and class II gingival recession in two non-adjacent anterior teeth having a minimum 3 mm width of attached gingiva. Following split-mouth design, one tooth with gingival recession was subjected to modified CAF, while another was treated by CAF with PRF. The clinical parameters, i.e., plaque index, modified sulcular bleeding index, vertical gingival recession depth (VGRD), gingival recession width (GRW), clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival thickness (GT) were recorded at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results: VGRD, GRW, CAL, and GT improved significantly from baseline to 1 month in both test and control groups. However, change in these parameters from 1 month to 3 months and 3 months to 6 months were statistically nonsignificant in both groups. On intergroup comparison, only the change in GT was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) at all three post-treatment visits. Conclusion: Benefits of the combined technique in terms of increased GT appear to justify the use of PRF along with modified CAF for the treatment of mild to moderate gingival recessions.

Research progress of pedicled flaps for defect repair and reconstruction after head and neck tumor resection / 中国修复重建外科杂志

Objective: To summarize the current status of pedicled flaps for defect repair and reconstruction after head and neck tumor resection, and to present its application prospects.

Classification and applications of the pedicled deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap / 中华整形外科杂志

Objective@#To propose a classification method and explore the indications and technical tips of the pedicled deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap.@*Methods@#From July 2005 to December 2017, 18 patients underwent soft-tissue defect repairment using the pedicled DIEAP flap. The defect locations included abdomen (n=6), iliolumbar region (n=2), perineum (n=4), and proximal thigh (n=6). The flaps were divided into two types. The type Ⅰ flap were further subdivided into two subtypes. The type Ⅰa flap was solely based on the DIEAP. The type Ⅰb flap was also based on the DIEAP, however, the main trunk of the deep inferior epigastric vessels needs to be divided to further improve the pedicle length. The type Ⅱ flap was the traditional pedicled DIEAP flap.@*Results@#Twenty flaps were included in this series. The mean flap size and pedicle length of the 4 flaps in type Ⅰa were 19.0 cm× 6.5 cm and 2.88 cm respectively. The rotation angles were 60 degrees (n=1), 120 degrees (n=1), and 180 degrees (n=2). The 3 flaps of type Ⅰb was 26 cm × 6 cm, 20 cm × 5 cm and 24 cm × 7 cm in size, and the pedicle lengths of them were 6 cm, 7 cm and 7 cm, respectively. All flaps in this subtype were rotated by 180 degrees. The mean flap size and pedicle length of the 13 type Ⅱ flaps were 21.46 cm × 9.38 cm and 11.08 cm. 17 flaps completely survived postoperatively. Small-sized necrosis of the distal portion of the flap occurred in 3 flaps. All patients were followed up for 6 months to 5 years, with the averaged 11 months follow-up time. All patients were satisfied with the final outcomes. Tumor recurrence was not noticed for the oncological patients.@*Conclusions@#The pedicled DIEAP flap has remarkable versatility in the defect repairment for the regions including abdomen, iliolumbar region, proximal thigh, and perineal region. Combining with the " propeller flap" concept, the clinical application of pedicled DIEAP flap could be further expanded. The pedicled DIEAP flap is a reliable reconstructive method for defect repairment in abdominal and iliolumbar regions.

Anatomical research and clinical application of expended facial artery perforator flaps with cervical small perforators / 中华整形外科杂志

Objective@#To explore the anatomy of expended facial artery perforator flaps with cervical small perforators and its clinical application for extensive facial defects with this flap.@*Methods@#Necks of fresh cadavers were dissected for studying the anatomy basis of expended facial artery perforator flaps with cervical small perforators. Based on the anatomy, two-stage operation was performed. In the first stage, expander was embedded above the platysma and the pedicle, cervical small facial artery perforator was reserved. In the second stage, the expended perforator flap was transferred as propeller flap, advanced flap or tunnel flap to reconstruct extensive facial defects.@*Results@#Cadavers dissection revealed 3 or 4 perforators were derived from facial artery when it crossed marginal mandibular and vertically penetrated platysma to the superficial fascia layer to supply cervical skin. In clinic, all flaps presented with satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes.@*Conclusions@#This design of expended facial artery perforator flaps with cervical small perforators provide an excellent method for reconstruction of extensive facial defects.

Trilobed buttocks perforator pedicled propeller flaps for reparing sacrococcygeal wounds / 中华整形外科杂志

Objective@#To explore the clinical effect of reparing sacrococcygeal wounds with trilobed buttocks perforator pedicled propeller flap.@*Methods@#From February 2015 to October 2017, 9 patients with sacrococcygeal wounds were received and cured, including 7 cases of pressure ulcers and 2 cases of squamous cell carcinomas, and the sizes of the wounds ranged from 4 cm×6 cm to 6 cm×12 cm after debridement or extended resection.@*Results@#In 2 cases, inadequate drainage led to congestion under the flaps and healed in 14 days with dressing changing and drainage. The other cases were all primary healing in 10 to 12 days, and the appearances and functions were satisfied.@*Conclusions@#Trilobed buttocks perforator pedicled propeller flap was an excellent method for reparing sacrococcygeal wound. It was simple to design and caused small injury and could restore satisfied appearance and function.

The supraclavicular artery island flap: a salvage option for head and neck reconstruction / 대한악안면성형재건외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Some of head and neck cancer patients are in compromised general condition after ablation surgery and chemoradiation therapy, which makes secondary free tissue transfer quite challenging. Elderly cancer patients also have some risk for microvascular surgery with lengthened general anesthesia. In those cases, the pedicled flap vascularized by supraclavicular artery could be considered as an alternative to free flap. Despite several authors have demonstrated the clinical reliability of supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIF), to date, SCAIF has not been widely used among reconstructive surgeon. In this article, we clarified vascular flow pattern and introduce simple surgical technique of SCAIF with a literature review. CASE PRESENTATION: Three patients who had underwent previous neck surgery and adjuvant therapy received maxillofacial reconstruction using SCAIF. It required only a few landmarks, flap harvesting was carried out, and the elapsed time gradually decreased to 15 min with experiences. There were no remarkable morbidities in both donor and recipient sites. CONCLUSION: SCAIF exhibited minimal anatomic variations and short learning curve of surgical techniques, which might be valuable reconstruction modality for beginning surgeon. And it can be beneficial option for the patients with vessel-depleted neck, medically compromised status for lengthened general anesthesia and failed free tissue transfer.

Immediate simultaneous bilateral breast reconstruction with deep inferior epigastric (DIEP) free flap and transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) pedicled flap

Breast reconstructive surgery has evolved tremendously since its inception. Following tumour clearance surgery, physical restoration with breast reconstruction is an important aspect of physical and emotional rehabilitation. Various methods have been described to suit patients demand for the best aesthetic outcome. Surgeon’s preference, experience and practicality of differing procedures must be considered. We describe a simultaneous bilateral breast reconstruction with free deep inferior epigastric (DIEP) flap and pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap immediately post mastectomies for bilateral breast cancers. The surgery described has resulted in a reasonable technical ease, acceptable flap and abdominal morbidity and good aesthetic outcome.

APPLICATION OF DOUBLE PEDICLED FLAP AND TECHNIQUE OF GEOMETRIC BROKEN LINE FOR PRIMARY REPAIR OF SERIOUS DOG BITE WOUNDS / 中国修复重建外科杂志

METHODS: Between October 2006 and December 2014, 9 patients with serious dog bite wound were treated. There were 3 males and 6 females with an average age of 34.5 years (range, 8-68 years), and with a mean disease duration of 4 hours (range, 30 minutes to 24 hours). The defect ranged from 1.7 cm×0.5 cm to 15.0 cm×8.0 cm, with the mean depth of 0.5 cm (range, 0.3-0.8 cm). Deep tissue exposure was observed. After routine debridement, a vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) was equipped to suck and irrigate for 1 day, then wound was repaired. The superomedial edge of defect was trimmed, then a GBL shape mainly with square and rectangular was designed. According to defect size, a double pedicled flap was designed at the lateroinferior edge of defect, which size ranged from 1.7 cm×1.5 cm to 18.0 cm×15.0 cm. The donor site was sutured directly. VSD was used for 3 days after operation.

Acute vascular complications (flap necrosis and congestion) with one stage and two stage distally based sural flap for wound coverage around the ankle

Introduction: The understanding of the skin’s vascular anatomy has improved in the last decade. It has lead to technique modification such as the staged procedure in performing sural flaps and improvement in the flap survival rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute vascular complications (flap necrosis or congestion) of 29 patients who underwent distal base sural flap for coverage of wound around the ankle. Methods: Twenty-four males and five females with a mean age of 37.1 years old underwent sural flap surgery to cover wounds at around the ankle. There were 12 cases of open fracture, five infected fractures, four spoke injuries, four degloving injuries and four diabetic foot ulcers. Twentythree cases were done as a single stage procedure while six as a two-stage procedure. The flaps were tunnelled under the skin in three cases. Results: Twenty one flaps healed uneventfully, seven acute vascular complications occur in a single stage group: five developed partial necrosis, one had congestion with epidermolysis, and one had complete flap necrosis. Complications were treated by dressing or skin grafting and only one required a repeat flap surgery. Conclusions: Acute vascular complications may be minimised when sural flap is done in stages for elderly, diabetic, smokers and/or patients with large wound around the ankle. Even if the flap appears necrotic, the underlying structure may still be covered as the fasciosubcutaneous layer of the flap may still survive.

Analysis of 130 Cases of Pectoralis Major Flap for the Head and Neck Reconstruction / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pectoralis major flap is the most versatile and reliable flap in the head and neck reconstruction. Owing to the recent development of microsurgical techniques, free flap reconstruction is gaining its popularity as a primary option for the reconstruction of head and neck defects. However, pectoralis major flap is a useful workhorse for the wide variety of situations including heavily irradiated neck, failure of prior reconstruction, and poor recipient vascular status. This study aimed to review our experience of pectoralis major flap surgery and to evaluate its clinical usefulness. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We reviewed medical records of 113 patients (130 cases) who underwent pectoralis major flap surgery from 1995 to 2014. Indications and complications of pectoralis major flap surgery were evaluated. Association between complication rates and clinical factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Reconstruction of primary surgical defect was the most common indication (n=81/130, 62.3%). Complications developed in 17 cases (13.1%). Flap failure was observed in 2 cases (1.5%). The length of flap pedicle was closely related with complication rate (p=0.01). However, other factors including flap size, types of flap, radiation history did not influence complication rate. CONCLUSION: Pectoralis major flap is still a very useful option with a relatively low risk of complication for the head and neck reconstruction even in the era of frequent free flap surgery and heavy irradiation.

Use of the Anterolateral Thigh and Vertical Rectus Abdominis Musculocutaneous Flaps as Utility Flaps in Reconstructing Large Groin Defects

BACKGROUND: Groin dissections result in large wounds with exposed femoral vessels requiring soft tissue coverage, and the reconstructive options are diverse. In this study we reviewed our experience with the use of the pedicled anterolateral thigh and vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps in the reconstruction of large groin wounds. METHODS: Groin reconstructions performed over a period of 10 years were evaluated, with a mean follow up of two years. We included all cases with large or complex (involving perineum) defects, which were reconstructed with the pedicled anterolateral thigh musculocutaneous or the vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (VRAM) flaps. Smaller wounds which were covered with skin grafts, locally based flaps and pedicled muscle flaps were excluded. RESULTS: Twenty-three reconstructions were performed for large or complex groin defects, utilising the anterolateral thigh (n=10) and the vertical rectus abdominis (n=13) pedicled musculocutaneous flaps. Femoral vein reconstruction with a prosthetic graft was required in one patient, and a combination flap (VRAM and gracilis muscle flap) was performed in another. Satisfactory coverage was achieved in all cases without major complications. No free flaps were used in our series. CONCLUSIONS: The anterolateral thigh and vertical rectus abdominis pedicled musculocutaneous flaps yielded consistent results with little morbidity in the reconstruction of large and complex groin defects. A combination of flaps can be used in cases requiring extensive cover.

Pedicled Perforator Flaps for Reconstruction of Bilateral Knee Defects: A Case Report

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the knee has always been a challenging task for plastic surgeons. Various reconstructive choices are available depending on the location, size, and depth of the defect relative to the knee joint. Defects on the knee joint have several characteristic features. The use of a free flap is preferred for reconstructions involving obliteration of large-cavity defects, but recipient pedicle isolation can be difficult because of the extent of the injury zone. Furthermore, the true defect during knee joint flexion is larger than during knee joint extension, and a durable flap is necessary for joint movement. We report for the first time on the use of pedicled perforator flaps for reconstruction of bilateral knee defects in a 76-year-old woman. The operative procedure required skeletonizing the perforators of an antero-lateral thigh flap and antero-medial thigh flap and rotating the flap in the defect. The patient returned to normal daily activity and had a full range of motion two months after the accident. The shorter operating time with decreased donor site morbidity and its durability make this flap a valuable alternative for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee.