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Objective@#To investigate the effect of repairing the skin and soft tissue defects of foot with the anterior tibial artery perforator flap.@*Methods@#Nine patients received the operation using the anterior tibial artery periosteal perforator flap to repair distal foot lesion with skin and soft tissue defects.There were six males and three females.All cases were the distal foot defects of skin and soft tissue with tendon and bone exposure, including traffic accident injury in 5 cases, crush injury in 3 cases, other causes of injury in 1 case. The defects ranged from 5 cm×3 cm to 9 cm×6 cm. The flaps ranged from 7 cm×5 cm—11 cm×8 cm. The donor sites were repaired with direct suture or full-thickness skin grafts.@*Results@#All the flaps were survived, without vascular crisis, congestion and blisters. 1 case had partial necrosis of flap margin, which was cured after dressing. All cases were followed up for 6 months to 34 months(mean 18 months). The appearance and function recovery of flaps were satisfactory.@*Conclusions@#It is an ideal flap donor site for repairing soft tissue defects of the distal foot with the anterior tibial artery perforator flap, which has the advantages of simple operation, less trauma, high skin flap survival rate and good appearance.
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Objective@#Strategy for wound repair of skin and soft tissue defect and systematic rehabilitation treatment for functional reconstruction of patients with severe burn or trauma on knees.@*Methods@#From January 2015 to October 2016, 26 patients with skin and soft tissue defect on knees after severe burn or trauma were hospitalized in our unit. Among these patients, 14 patients had patellar ligament defect, and 16 patients had knee joint capsule defect. Wound debridement was operated on 1 to 3 days after admission. After debridement, the area of skin and soft tissue defect ranged from 10 cm×7 cm to 42 cm×18 cm. Vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) treatment was performed after debridement, and flap transplantation operation was performed after VSD treatment for 5 to 7 days. Defects of nine patients were treated with local rotation flaps. Seven patients with skin and soft tissue defects on knees and knee joint capsule defects of 5 cm×3 cm to 9 cm×7 cm were treated with free anterolateral femoral flaps combined with fascia lata. Ten patients with skin and soft tissue defects on knees and patellar ligament defects of 6 cm×3 cm to 12 cm×4 cm were treated with free anterolateral femoral flaps combined with iliotibial tract. The area of flaps ranged from 11 cm×9 cm to 22 cm×15 cm. After flap transplantation operation, functional reconstruction of knee joint was carried out according to early, continuous, and sequential systematic rehabilitation treatment strategy. The pain degree and function of knee joint of patients were scored by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Knee Evaluation Form before operation and 12 months after operation. The knee joint flexion and extension degrees of patients were measured by joint protractor in 2 weeks and 12 months after operation. The color Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate integrity of knee joint capsule and continuity of patellar ligament of patients in 6 and 12 months after operation.@*Results@#All flaps of 26 patients survived well, and wounds healed completely after the operation. Distal parts of flaps of 2 patients treated with free anterolateral femoral flaps had local necrosis after the operation, and their wounds healed after debridement and transplantation of autologous intermediate split-thickness skin graft of thigh. The IKDC Knee Evaluation Form score of patients was (79±8) points in 12 months after operation, which was significantly higher than (64±7) points before operation (t=7.20, P<0.05). The flexion degree of knee joint of patients was (117±10)° in 12 months after operation, which was significantly larger than (35±8)° in 2 weeks after operation (t=32.65, P<0.05). The extension degree of knee joint of patients was (12±9)° in 12 months after operation, which was significantly smaller than (61±9)° in 2 weeks after operation (t=19.63, P<0.05). In 6 and 12 months after operation, 9 patients treated with local rotation flaps had good integrity of knee joint capsule and continuity of patellar ligament; 7 patients treated with free anterolateral femoral flaps and fascia lata had good integrity of knee joint capsule; 10 patients treated with free anterolateral femoral flaps and iliotibial tract had good continuity of patellar ligament. During follow-up of 12 months, all flaps survived well; knees of all patients had good appearance; knee joints functioned normally.@*Conclusions@#Good appearance and function of knees can be achieved by repairing wound of skin and soft tissue defect on knees after severe burn or trauma with local rotation flaps or free anterolateral femoral flaps with fascia lata or iliotibial tract plus systematic rehabilitation treatment of knee joint in early stage after flap transplantation operation.
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Objective To discuss the clinical effects of forward lateral malleolus perforator flap in the repair of skin and soft tissue defect of ankle or dorsal foot.Methods From November,2014 to June,2017,16 cases of skin and soft tissue defect in ankle or dorsal foot had been repaired,which were 11 males and 5 females,aged from 25to 58 years old(average,32.5 years).The rotation points were on proximal 5 cm of the lateral malleolus in 11 cases and on the level of tarsal sinus in 5 cases.The largest flap was 10.0 cm×18.0 cm and the smallest flap was 6.0 cm×4.0 cm.The color,thickness,texture,sensation,appearance,donor site shape and functional were followed-up after operation.Results All the 16 patients were followed-up from 1 to 24 months.The distal flap appeared dark in 1 case 2 days after operation,and blood supply was improved after stitches;One case was superficial necrosis and healed after dressing.All the flaps had good appearance and texture,no pigmentation,scar contracture,and so on.Conclusion The forward lateral malleolus perforator flaps have perforator constantly and the color,thickness are similar with the receiving areas,the rotation point could on proximal 5 cm of the lateral malleolus and on the level of tarsal sinus,which is a good method to repair skin and soft tissue defect of ankle or dorsal foot.
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Objective: To summarize the effectiveness of delayed skin-stretching device in treatment of skin and soft tissue defects. Methods: Between December 2014 and December 2016, 10 cases of skin and soft tissue defects were treated with delayed skin-stretching device. There were 6 males and 4 females with an average age of 53 years (range, 42-64 years). The skin and soft tissue defects were caused by acute trauma in 6 cases. The incision could not be closed directly after making incisions because of osseous fascia syndrome in 3 cases. The skin soft tissue defect caused after huge carbuncle incision and drainage in 1 case. The defect located at thigh in 4 cases, lower leg in 3 cases, upper arm in 2 cases, back in 1 case. The defect area ranged from 10 cm×4 cm to 22 cm×12 cm. Pinch test was performed on the wound margin, which confirmed that the wound could not be closed directly. Results: Tension blisters were found in 3 cases during traction, and no complications such as impaired blood circulation or skin necrosis occurred in all cases. Skin defects closed directly after continuously stretching for 7-18 days. No skin graft or free flap repair was performed in all patients. The wound healed well after operation. All the 10 patients were followed up 5-8 months (mean, 6.5 months). There was no necrosis around the wound margin and the scar was linear. The sensation and function were not affected. Conclusion: Delayed skin-stretching device is an effective method to treat skin and soft tissue defects, which has the advantages of simple operation, lower risk of operation, less complications, and reliable effectiveness.
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Objective To investigate the methods of repair the lateral skin and soft tissue defect of the middle and rear foot with the plantar medial flap transferred before the achilles tendon.Methods Fifteen cases with the lateral skin and soft tissue defect of the middle and rear foot were repaired with the plantar medial flap pedicled with posterior tibia artery transferred before the achilles tendon from January,2012 to October,2015.All the 15 patients were followed up in the way by telephone or back to hospital postoperatively 3 months to 3 years,including 6 cases by telephone follow-up and 9 cases of back-to-hospital follow-up,to observe the appearance,functions of the skin flap and whether the skin flap survived well.Results The flaps of 15 cases survived well.Postoperative followup of 3 months to 3 years,the sensation of the flap was good,without any ulcer or necrosis.The patients walked well and were satisfied with the flap.Conclusion To repair the lateral skin and soft tissue defect with the plantar medial flap transferred before the achilles tendon as a new method is feasible with the good ability of faster sensory recovery,the good appearance and function.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of V-Y advanced medial gastrocnemius muscle flap to repair soft tissue defects in the middle and lower segments of the anterior tibia. METHODS: Between March 2008 and March 2014, 8 patients with skin and soft tissue defects of the anterior tibia were treated, including 6 males and 2 females with an average age of 36.2 years (range, 28-47 years). The soft tissue defects located at the left leg in 5 cases and at the right leg in 3 cases. The causes included traffic accident injury in 6 cases, and heavy pound injury in 2 cases. Three cases had simple soft tissue defects, and the disease course was 5 hours, 6 days, and 14 days, respectively. Five cases had soft tissue defects and fractures, including 1 case of Pilon fracture, and 4 cases of middle and distal tibial fracture; open reduction and internal fixation were performed in 3 cases, the implementation of external fixation in 2 cases; 1 case had chronic osteomyelitis at 11 months after operation, and 4 cases had skin necrosis and wound infection at 1 to 2 weeks after operation; the duration was 1-12 months (mean, 3.4 months). The skin and soft tissue defect area was 5.2 cm×2.5 cm to 13.0 cm×5.5 cm. Debridement was given, and vacuum sealing drainage was used in 6 cases, and then V-Y advancement of medial gastrocnemius muscle flap was used to cover the wound. Because of light wound contamination, the wound was repaired by the flap after emergency debridement in 1 case; 1 patient with osteomyelitis underwent flap repair at immediate after sensitive antibiotics use and debridement. The size of medial gastrocnemius muscle flaps ranged from 15 cm×6 cm to 26 cm×15 cm. The donor site was sutured in 3 cases or repaired with skin graft in 5 cases. RESULTS: One case had tension blisters in the distal flap, which was cured after symptomatic treatment. The flap and skin graft survived, and primary healing was obtained in the other cases. Seven patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 9 months). The texture and appearance of the flaps were satisfactory. At 6 months after operation, two-point discrimination ranged from 12 to 18 mm (mean, 16 mm). The plantar flexion was weaker than that of normal side, but the patients could normally walk and had normal gait. CONCLUSIONS: The V-Y advancement of medial gastrocnemius muscle flap is recommendable to repair soft tissue defects in the middle and lower segments of the anterior tibia for the advantages of reliable blood supply, simple operation, high survival rate of the flap, and satisfactory appearance.