ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the efficacy of a novel self-designed skin-stretching device for skin-soft tissue defects and bone exposure after internal fixation of calcaneal fracture.Methods:From July 2018 to January 2021, 9 patients were treated at Orthopedic Hospital, Southeast Hospital Affiliated to Xiamen University for skin-soft tissue defects and bone exposure after internal fixation of calcaneal fracture. They were 6 males and 3 females, aged from 19 to 61 years (mean, 42.6 years). The interval between their initial internal fixation and the present operation ranged from 14 to 75 days (average, 47.3 days). Of them, one developed wound dehiscence due to fat liquefaction, 2 necrosis of skin and soft tissue along the wound edges, and 6 incision infection. Their fusiform skin and soft tissue defects had formed after routine expansion of the wound, with an area of 5.0 cm×2.0 cm to 7.0 cm×3.5 cm, and all their wounds were positive by Pinch test. After a Kirschner wire with a diameter of 2.0 was placed on both sides of the wound, our novel self-designed skin-stretching device was installed. Intraoperatively, depending on the soft tissue conditions on both sides, the wound was closed acutely by about 5 mm in width. The threaded rod of the skin-stretching device was adjusted every day after operation to gradually reduce the wound surface until the wound edge was closed and sutured without tension. During wound stretch, the visual analogue scale (VAS), wound approaching time, stretch speed, wound healing time, complications and the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) for the wound scar at the last follow-up were recorded.Results:All the 9 patients were followed up for 8 to 18 months (average, 12.5 months). The wounds were successfully closed in all the patients. The time for wound closure (till the suture) ranged from 8 to 15 d, averaging 12.1 d; the stretch rate from 1 to 3 mm/d, averaging 2 mm/d; the time for complete wound healing (to the suture removal) from 22 to 30 d, averaging 26.8 d; the VAS score during the stretch from 3 to 7 points, averaging 4.9 points; the VSS score from 2 to 7 points, averaging 4.1 points. There was no recurrence of surgical site infection, skin re-necrosis or reoperation in the patients.Conclusions:In the treatment of skin-soft tissue defects and bone exposure caused by various reasons after internal fixation of calcaneal fracture, our novel self-designed skin-stretching device is an effective in situ wound repair instrument, showing advantages of simple operation, less trauma and high safety. It is suggested that the stretch speed should average 2 mm/d, which is well tolerated by patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of skin stretching device in repair of diabetic foot wound. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 48 cases with diabetic foot wound who were treated with skin stretching device (trial group, n=24) and with the vacuum sealing drainage combined with skin graft (control group, n=24) respectively between October 2015 and July 2016. There was no significant difference in gender, age, side, course of disease, TEXAS stage between 2 groups ( P>0.05). Both patients in 2 groups were treated with sensitive antibiotics according to the results of bacterial culture. Results: One case in control group was infected and the skin graft failed, and 1 case in trial group was infected after the treatment, and the two wounds healed after symptomatic treatment. The wounds of the other patients healed successfully, and the healing time of the trial group was significantly shorter than that of the control group [(12.8±11.6) days vs. (22.3±10.4) days; t=2.987, P=0.005). All patients were followed up 3-12 months after operation, and no wound dehiscence or recurrence occurred during follow-up. Conclusion: Compared with the vacuum sealing drainage combined with skin graft, the application of skin stretching device in the repair of diabetic foot wound has advantages, such as easy to operate, shorten the wound healing time, and the appearance of wound was similar with the adjacent skin.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
Conventional methods of scar revision of wide facial scar are skin graft, local flap coverage, local flap using the tissue expander, and free flap method, but these methods have disadvantages such as color dismatching, deformity of facial structure, inevitable additional scar, great expense, and waste of time. From April 1996 to April 2001, we performed the scar revision of wide facial scar by serial excision using the Sure- Closure(R) in 8 patients. Of these, 4 had scars on the cheeks, 2 on the preauricle, and the remaining 2 on the mentum and temporal area. The mean follow-up period was 18 months, ranging from 6 to 24 months. By pinching the skin on the scar site, we got a rough idea as to whether the available skin on either side of excision margin was sufficient for closure. The tension on the skin margin was 3.0 kilograms and the device was employed over a duration of 50 minutes. A skin stretching device is designed to exploit the viscoelastic properties, that is mechanical creep and stress relaxation. In this study, we use the serial excision with the Sure- Closure(R), because excessive scar excision could result in the deformity of facial structure and wound dehiscence, hypertrophic scar, and skin necrosis. The skin stretching device is easy to use and achieves good aesthetic results in the scar revision of wide facial scar.