A prospective study of super-thin anterolateral thigh flap harvesting assisted by high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound in detecting perforators in deep adipose layers / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical application of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound (HFCDU) in detecting perforators in the deep adipose layers for harvesting super-thin anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF).@*METHODS@#Between August 2019 and January 2023, 45 patients (46 sides) with skin and soft tissue defects in the foot and ankle were treated, including 29 males and 16 females, aged from 22 to 62 years, with an average of 46.7 years. The body mass index ranged from 19.6 to 36.2 kg/m 2, with an average of 23.62 kg/m 2. The causes of injury included traffic accident injury in 15 cases, heavy object crush injury in 20 cases, mechanical injury in 8 cases, heat crush injury in 1 case, and chronic infection in 1 case. There were 20 cases on the left side, 24 cases on the right side, and 1 case on both sides. After thorough debridement, the wound size ranged from 5 cm×4 cm to 17 cm×11 cm. All patients underwent free super-thin ALTF transplantation repair. HFCDU was used to detect the location of the perforators piercing the deep and superficial fascia, as well as the direction and branches of the perforators within the deep adipose layers before operation. According to the preoperative HFCDU findings, the dimensions of the super-thin ALTF ranged from 6 cm×4 cm to 18 cm×12 cm. The donor sites of the flaps were directly sutured.@*RESULTS@#A total of 55 perforators were detected by HFCDU before operation, but 1 was not found during operation. During operation, a total of 56 perforators were found, and 2 perforators were not detected by HFCDU. The positive predictive value of HFCDU for identifying perforator vessels was 98.2%, and the sensitivity was 96.4%. Among the 54 perforators accurately located by HFCDU, the orientation of the perforators in the deep adipose layers was confirmed during operation. There were 21 perforators (38.9%) traveled laterally and inferiorly, 12 (22.2%) traveled medially and inferiorly, 14 (25.9%) traveled laterally and superiorly, 5 (9.3%) traveled medially and superiorly, and 2 (3.7%) ran almost vertically to the body surface. Among the 54 perforators accurately located by HFCDU, 35 were identified as type 1 perforators and 12 as type 2 perforators (HFCDU misidentified 7 type 2 perforators as type 1 perforators). The sensitivity of HFCDU in identifying type 1 perforators was 100%, with a positive predictive value of 83.3%. For type 2 perforators, the sensitivity was 63.2%, and the positive predictive value was 100%. The surgeries were successfully completed. The super-thin ALTF had a thickness ranging from 2 to 6 mm, with an average of 3.56 mm. All super-thin ALTF survived, however, 1 flap experienced a venous crisis at 1 day after operation, but it survived after emergency exploration and re-anastomosis of the veins; 1 flap developed venous crisis at 3 days after operation but survived after bleeding with several small incisions; 3 flaps had necrosis at the distal edge of the epidermis, which healed after undergoing dressing changes. All 45 patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 13.6 months). Three flaps required secondary defatting procedures, while the rest had the appropriate thickness, and the overall appearance was satisfactory.@*CONCLUSION@#Preoperative application of HFCDU to detect the perforator in the deep adipose layers can improve the success and safety of the procedure by facilitating the harvest of super-thin ALTF.

OBSERVATIONAL PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF DIFFERENT RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY IN ORAL CAVITY CARCINOMA

OBJECTIVES & AIMS:• To evaluate the outcome of different Reconstructive surgery in oral cavity carcinoma• To determine the factors which increase the complication in post op reconstructive surgery(like – diabetes, hypertension, smoking etc.)• The effect of flap transfer on complication or on post op rehabilitation of patients in oralcavity carcinoma.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study conducted at GCS hospital,Ahmedabad between oct. 2021 to June 2022. Sample size is 40 patients with case of oral cavitycarcinoma, out of which some cases underwent for PMMC Flap, Radial forearm free flap, ALTfree flap, fibula flap, forehead rotational flap, deltopectoral flap and local flap.CONCLUSION:Risks have not increased complications in PMMC or Free flap group in our study. Various otherstudies have similar results however a larger patient pool may be needed to assess them. ThePMMC flap is more favorable for patients with possibly lethal pre-op morbidities, when a longoperation is not advisable and a small defect is expected as compared to the longer operationduration of ALT free flap & Radial free flap.Though the flap related complications & donor site related complications are more with foreheadrotational flap as compared to PMMC. ALT & Radial forearm free flap, statistically there is nosignificant difference. Also, in the functional post-op outcomes there is minimally statisticallysignificant difference with PMMC flap, ALT free flap or Radial free flap, local flaps and otherreconstructive surgery.

Aesthetic Reconstruction of Scrotum after Founiers Gangrene using Laterally based Medial Thigh Fasciocutaneous Flap

Introduction : Fournier抯 Gangrene is a rapidly progressive necrotising faciitis affecting the genital region, perineum, perianal region and the abdominal wall. It can have an adverse effect on the functional and psychological aspects of the patient. Many flaps are available for the defect coverage. Aim : The aim of this prospective study was to analyse the effectiveness of laterally based medial thigh flap for scrotal reconstruction. This is a fasciocutaneous flap just below the Scrotum which covers moderate to large sized scrotal defects successfully. Methods and Materials : This study was done at a teaching hospital in South India on patients with major scrotal defects secondary to Fournier抯 Gangrene. Ten patients with major scrotal defects secondary to Fournier抯 gangrene were subjected to reconstruction of scrotum by medial thigh fasciocutaneous flap. Results and Conclusions : All ten flaps survived and provided a durable and aesthetic cover for exposed testes. Only one flap had necrosis of distal 2cm, which was successfully managed by secondary suturing. The donor areas were primarily covered with placement of a small graft near the base of the flap, which healed well with an inconspicuous scar. In conclusion, the laterally based medial thigh fasciocutaneous flap provides excellent closure for extensive scrotal skin loss. It is a robust flap, easy to mobilise, rarely undergoes necrosis, provides a sensate cover with excellent aesthetic results. The technique is simple, less time consuming and can be easily incorporated by plastic Surgeons and General Surgeons

Effects of thigh perforator flap on repair of oral and maxillofacial head and neck defects / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical experience of different types of femoral perforator flaps in the reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial head and neck defects.Methods:From January 2018 to January 2021, 573 patients with oral and maxillofacial head and neck defects reconstructed by femoral perforator flap were collected in the Department of Maxillofacial Oncology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University (age range of 21-76 years, with a male to female ratio of 1.23∶1). According to the type of perforator flap, the patients were divided into ALT group, AMT group, TFL flap group and free muscle flap group. The incidence of postoperative complications, wound healing time and drainage volume in femoral area were compared among the 4 groups.Results:The ALT flap was used in 527 cases: 22 flaps had vascular crisis, 14 flaps had infection, 8 flaps had necrosis, 519 flaps survived; the mean healing time of the wound was (14.50±3.19) days, and the mean drainage volume was (49.9±21.3) ml. 28 cases were repaired with AMT flap: 2 flaps had vascular crisis and 1 had infection. All the flaps survived; the mean healing time of the wound was (14.18±2.75) days, and the mean drainage volume was (50.3±23.0) ml. 11 cases were repaired by TFL flap: 1 flap had vascular crisis and 1 had infection. All the flaps survived. The mean healing time of the wound was (14.09±2.66) days, and the mean drainage volume was (54.1±25.0) ml. 7 cases were repaired by free muscle flap survived without vascular crisis, infection and other postoperative complications; the mean healing time of the wound was 14.14±1.86, and the mean postoperative drainage volume was (49.9±21.1) ml. There was no significant difference in complication rate (flap necrosis, vascular crisis, infection, etc.) and repair effect among 573 patients with different flap types. The postoperative follow-up was conducted for 6-24 months, and the donor area was smooth and good in appearance, without obvious scar or functional influence. The repair effect of the affected area was satisfactory.Conclusions:Although there is a certain proportion of perforator vessel variation in the femoral perforator flap, the flap can be designed freely according to different types of variation. The thigh perforator flap has an essential application value in the repair of oral and maxillofacial head and neck defects.

Apply ultra-thin lobulated anterolateral thigh perforator flap in repairing of large soft tissue defect in foot: a report of 8 cases / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:Exploring the clinical efficacy of using ultra-thin lobulated anterolateral thigh perforator flap(ALTPF) with retrograde separation of perforating vessels from the superficial and deep junction layer of the superficial fascia to repair large soft tissue defects in the foot.Methods:From August 2021 to November 2022, 8 patients (5 males and 3 females) were admitted to the Second Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, the Affiliated Central Hospital of Dalian University of Technology. The patients were 28 to 52 years old in age. The soft tissue defects were located in dorsal and plantar foot. At the plantar foot, the wound involved the weight-bearing area with explosion of bone, tendon or internal fixtures. The area of soft tissue defects was 6.0 cm × 5.0 cm - 16.0 cm × 8.0 cm, and the sizes of ALTPF were 8.0 cm ×5.5 cm - 18.0 cm × 8.5 cm. Preoperative high frequency CUD combined with CTA angiography were employed to locate the 2 flap perforator vessels. By keeping the perforator vessels at center and according to the soft tissue defect area and the wound shape, an ALTPF with a proper size and shape was designed in anterolateral thigh. The perforator were separated in the boundary layer between superficial and deep fascia, where it helped to obviously thin the flap. After the flap was harvested, it was further lobulated between the 2 perforators into 2 lobes after having confirmed the effective blood supply. Finally the lobulated ALTPF was transferred to covered the defect in foot. Cautions should be taken to ensure that the flap covered the weight-bearing area of foot. All the donor sites were directly sutured. Postoperative follow-up was conducted to observe the survival of flaps and the functional recovery of the reconstructed site, also to evaluate the clinical effect. Postoperative follow-up included outpatient visits and reviews over WeChat or telephone. Recovery of the ankle motor function was evaluated according to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Societ (AOFAS) ankle-hind foot score scale.Results:All 8 ALTPF survived. Over 6 to 18 months (10.8 months in average) of follow-up, the transferred flaps had good blood supply, soft in texture, with good elasticity and thin in appearance. Appearance and function of donor sites recovered well, except 1 patient who had mild scar hyperplasia. The plantar flap had good abrasion resistance. No flap damage, bleeding or granulation tissue hyperplasia occurred when walking. The mean score of AOFAS ankle-hind foot score achieved 95.6.Conclusion:The application of ultra-thin lobulated ALTPF with retrograde separation of perforating vessels from the superficial fascia at the junction layer for repairing large soft tissue defects in the foot has good clinical efficacy.

Repair of scalp defect with anterolateral thigh perforator flap after revascularisation of moyamoya disease: a report of 7 cases / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of free anterolateral thigh perforator flap(ALTPF) in reconstruction of temporal scalp defect after blood circulation reconstruction surgery for moyamoya disease.Methods:From May 2020 to July 2022, 7 patients with scalp defect after revascularisation of moyamoya disease were treated in Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital (People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University). The patients were 4 males and 3 females, aged 33-59 years old, at 43 years old in average. There were 5 defects in left tempus and 2 in right tempus. The sizes of scalp defect were 4.5 cm × 5.5 cm-7.5 cm × 9.5 cm. Debridement and VSD management were primarily performed. After wounds were stabilised, ultrasound location of perforator vessels of ALTPFs was performed. Having confirmed that the perforator vessels were suitable for the surgical requirements, flap transfers were then performed. The descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery was end-to-side anastomosed with the superficial temporal artery, and the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex vein was end-to-end anastomosed with the superficial temporal vein. Postoperative follow-up was conducted through outpatient clinic visits, telephone and WeChat reviews. Appearance, texture of ALTPFs and the flap donor sites were observed in follow-ups. Comparisons of the changes of nervous system before and after surgery were made. Cognitive function of the patients was assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), together with the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) .Results:All 7 flaps survived. One flap had vascular compromise 6 hours after surgery, and was rectified after surgical intervention. All the patients were included in the postoperative follow-up for 7-33 (average 19) months. All flaps had good appearance with soft texture. There was no obvious difference in colour comparing with the skin around the recipient region. The donor sites healed well without hypertrophic scar. Examinations of nervous system of the patients were found the same as that before surgery. Using Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), the average limb muscle strength of the patients was 4 before surgery and 4 after surgery, without change; Using the Ashworth assessment scale, the average preoperative and postoperative limb muscle tension in this group of patients was 1, without change; The Berg balance scale was used to evaluate the patient's balance function, with an average score of 42 before surgery and 42 after surgery, without any changes; There was no change in limb sensation before and after surgery; Using the MMSE, the average preoperative score and postoperative score of this group of patients were 25 points, without any change. Using the modified Barthel index scoring standard, the average preoperative score for this group of patients was 75 points, and the average postoperative score was 79 points, and the ADL of the patient had improved to various levels.Conclusion:Reconstruction of scalp defect with free ALTPF after revascularisation of moyamoya disease has obvious advantages, such as it closes the wound quickly, prevents infection and achieves a good appearance. This surgical procedure can produce a good clinical effect.

Anatomy of rectus femoris muscle flap and anterolateral thigh muscle flap and their application in reconstruction of postoperative defects of oral malignant tumour / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the anatomy of rectus femoris muscle flap and the anterolateral thigh muscle flap and their clinical application in reconstruction of large soft tissue defects after the removal of oral malignant tumour.Methods:From December 2006 to June 2009, 8 specimens of Chinese adult cadavers fixed in 10% formaldehyde were dissected to perform anatomy of anterolateral thigh region at the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University. Anatomical images were analysed using Image-Pro Plus 6.0. Then, a retrospective study was performed on 19 patients who had postoperative defects after oral malignant tumour surgery and the defects were reconstructed with the rectus femoris muscle flap and the anterolateral thigh muscle flap from March 2020 to July 2022 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Stomatology Hospital, Kunming Medical University. The postoperative defects of the 19 patients ranged from 3.0 cm×6.0 cm to 5.0 cm×10.0 cm. Ten rectus femoris muscle flaps, 8 anterolateral thigh muscle flaps and 1 combined rectus femoris muscle flap and anterolateral thigh muscle flap were used. The muscular flaps sized from 4.0 cm × 8.0 cm to 6.0 cm × 11.0 cm. Regular postoperative outpatient follow-ups were conducted.Results:The lengths of vessels of the harvested rectus femoris muscle flap and anterolateral thigh muscle flap were 63.4 mm± 12.9 mm and 112.5 mm± 19.6 mm, respectively. The starting outer diameters of the lateral circumflex thigh artery, the oblique branch of the lateral circumflex thigh artery and the descending branch of the lateral circumflex thigh artery were 2.92 mm±0.72 mm, 1.88 mm±0.23 mm and 2.29 mm±0.43 mm, respectively. Postoperative follow-up lasted for 7 to 32 months, with 17.5 months in average. Seventeen flaps were completely survived and the rectus femoris muscle flap was completely mucosalised 5 weeks after surgery. However, 2 rectus femoris muscle flaps had necrosis of which one was changed to a tongue flap reconstruction and the other encountered flap necrosis during postoperative radiotherapy and healed after debridement and dressing changes. There was no postoperative complication in the donor sites. Other than the 2 patients, all other 17 patients had satisfactory clinical outcomes.Conclusion:Both of the starting outer diameters and length of vessels of the femoris muscle flap and the anterolateral thigh muscle flap meet the requirements for reconstruction of maxillofacial defects, and both muscular flaps are simple to prepare, in good reconstructive results with few complication, as well as an excellent outcome. They are feasible approaches for reconstruction of large soft tissue defects left after the removal of an oral malignant tumour.

Vascular pressurisation and super-reflux techniques applied in free anterolateral thigh flap / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of vascular pressurisation and super reflux on free anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF).Methods:From January 2017 to September 2021, the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College had treated 31 cases of soft tissue defects of the limbs. The patients were 23 males and 8 females, aged 4-76 years old at 40 years old in average. All the patients received transfer of free ALTFs carrying 2 groups of blood vessels of the descending and oblique branches of lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA). The vascular pressurisation and super-reflux techniques were applied in wound repair. Soft tissue defect area 7 cm × 5 cm-22 cm × 10 cm. The sizes of flaps were 8 cm×6 cm-23 cm×11 cm. All the donor sites were sutured directly. Fifteen patients had inner flap pressurisation (or super-reflux) and the rest of 16 patients had external flap pressurisation (or super-reflux). After surgery, scheduled follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic, telephone and WeChat reviews or home visits to evaluate the efficacy of wound repair.Results:All the 31 flaps survived, except 2 flaps that had mild infection after surgery. The wounds of donor and recipient sites healed completely. The time of follow-up was 3-55 months. The skin of flaps achieved good texture, colour, lustre and appearance. TPD of the flaps ranged 7-12 mm.Conclusion:Vascular pressurisation and super reflux technique are stable and reliable in the clinical application of free ALTF to repair soft tissue defects of limbs.

Digital and 3D printing technologies in design of superficial iliac circumflex artery flap for coverage of donor site of anterolateral thigh flap: Report of 8 cases / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy of digital and 3D printing technologies on design of superficial iliac circumflex artery flap for coverage the donor site of anterolateral thigh flap(ALTF).Methods:Clinical data of 8 patients were studied retrospectively for treatment of soft tissue defects of hand in the Department of Hand Surgery, Wuxi NO.9 People's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, from April 2017 to October 2021. The patients were 6 males and 2 females, aged from 29 to 59 years(mean, 45.8 years). Cause of injury: 3 patients were crushed, 2 by hot pressing, and 3 by machine strangulation. Site of injury included: 5 cases were dorsal hand defects and 3 cases were palm defects. All the wounds were contaminated to varying degrees with soft tissue defects. The areas of soft tissue defect ranged from 11 cm×10 cm to 22 cm×14 cm. Four patients had combined injuries of open fracture of metacarpals and phalanges and 3 with tendon defects. All wounds were repaired by free ALTF transplantation. And the donor sites in the thigh were repaired by superficial iliac circumflex artery flaps. The secondary wounds caused by flap harvesting on abdominal wall were closed directly. The targeted perforator vessels were detected preoperatively by CTA combined with CDU. 3D printed models of the affected hand were obtained before operation for individualised repairs according to the shape and area of the wounds. After the operation, all patients entered scheduled follow-ups at the outpatient clinic and via internet by observing the flap shape and testing the recovery of sensory and movement of adjacent joint.Results:The shapes and sizes of the wounds and the flaps were found basically in accordance with those in the preoperative simulative designs. All flaps in 8 patients survived and the wounds healed completely. All patients entered follow-ups for 8 to 24(average, 17.5) months. The donor thighs presented good appearance and colour, pliability without bloating. The range of motion of the hips and knees was not affected. Only linear scars remained in the abdominal donor sites, with natural colour and appearance.Conclusion:Digital and 3D printing technologies in preoperative design of flaps can help to locate the perforator vessels intraoperatively and guide the individualised design of the flaps with improved operation efficiency and satisfactory appearance of the flaps.

Free anterolateral thigh flap with reversed arterial flow in repair of foot and ankle wounds in children / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To investigate feasibility and clinical effect of free anterolateral thigh flap(ALTF) with reversed arterial flow in repair of foot and ankle wounds in children.Methods:From October 2014 to February 2021, the free ALTF with reversed arterial flow was used to repair the wounds in 7 children with severe soft tissue injury and main blood vessel injury in the Department of Hand & Foot Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of University of South China. Of the 7 injured children, 5 were caused by traffic accident, 1 by mechanical strangulation and 1 by heavy object. The size of wounds ranged from 6.0 cm×8.0 cm to 9.0 cm×11.0 cm. ALTF were designed to be anastomosed with the blood vessels at the recipient sites by retrograde blood supply. The size of flaps ranged from 6.0 cm×8.0 cm to 10.0 cm×11.0 cm. All flap donor sites were pulled together and directly sutured. Follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic visits, telephone call and WeChat reviews in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th months after surgery. The major contents in follow-up were the shape, colour, texture, sensation of flap and function of ankles.Results:All donor sites healed at I stage. A total of 5 flaps survived successfully; One flap had venous occlusion after surgery, and the flap survived after surgical exploration; One flap had partial necrosis after surgery, and repaired with artificial dermis after further debridement. Postoperative follow-up lasted for 6-24 months, with an average of 10.5 months. All flaps appeared in similar colour and texture to the surrounding soft tissues. Two children underwent flap repair after half a year due to bloated flaps. The Ankle-hind foot Function Score of American Orthopedic Foot Ankle Society(AOFAS) was used to evaluate the ankle function. AOFAS achieved 84-94 points, with 5 children in excellent and 2 in good. The sensation recovered to S 3+ in 5 children, S 3 in 1 child and S 2 in 1 child, according to the standard of British Medical Research Council (BMRC). Conclusion:For the children with severe soft tissue injury combined with main vascular injury in foot and ankle, free ALTF with reversed arterial flow can repair the defect and effectively secure the blood supply. It is a feasible method for wound repair.

Clinical application of Flow-through bridge anterolateral thigh flap in repair of complex calf soft tissue defects / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effectiveness of Flow-through bridge anterolateral thigh flap transplantation in the treatment of complex calf soft tissue defects.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of the patients with complicated calf soft tissue defects, who were treated with Flow-through bridge anterolateral thigh flap (study group, 23 cases) or bridge anterolateral thigh flap (control group, 23 cases) between January 2008 and January 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. All complex calf soft tissue defects in the two groups were caused by trauma or osteomyelitis, and there was only one major blood vessel in the calf or no blood vessel anastomosed with the grafted skin flap. There was no significant difference between the two groups in general data such as gender, age, etiology, size of leg soft tissue defect, and time from injury to operation ( P>0.05). The lower extremity functional scale (LEFS) was used to evaluate the sufferred lower extremity function of the both groups after operation, and the peripheral blood circulation score of the healthy side was evaluated according to the Chinese Medical Association Hand Surgery Society's functional evaluation standard for replantation of amputated limbs. Weber's quantitative method was used to detect static 2-point discrimination (S2PD) to evaluate peripheral sensation of the healthy side, and the popliteal artery flow velocity, toenail capillary filling time, foot temperature, toe blood oxygen saturation of the healthy side, and the incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#No vascular or nerve injury occurred during operation. All flaps survived, and 1 case of partial flap necrosis occurred in both groups, which healed after free skin grafting. All patients were followed up 6 months to 8 years, with a median time of 26 months. The function of the sufferred limb of the two groups recovered satisfactorily, the blood supply of the flap was good, the texture was soft, and the appearance was fair. The incision in the donor site healed well with a linear scar, and the color of the skin graft area was similar. Only a rectangular scar could be seen in the skin donor area where have a satisfactory appearance. The blood supply of the distal limb of the healthy limb was good, and there was no obvious abnormality in color and skin temperature, and the blood supply of the limb was normal during activity. The popliteal artery flow velocity in the study group was significantly faster than that in the control group at 1 month after the pedicle was cut, and the foot temperature, toe blood oxygen saturation, S2PD, toenail capillary filling time, and peripheral blood circulation score were significantly better than those in the control group ( P<0.05). There were 8 cases of cold feet and 2 cases of numbness on the healthy side in the control group, while only 3 cases of cold feet occurred in the study group. The incidence of complications in the study group (13.04%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (43.47%) ( χ 2=3.860, P=0.049). There was no significant difference in LEFS score between the two groups at 6 months after operation ( P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Flow-through bridge anterolateral thigh flap can reduce postoperative complications of healthy feet and reduce the impact of surgery on blood supply and sensation of healthy feet. It is an effective method for repairing complex calf soft tissue defects.

Unusual case of a free anterolateral thigh flap partial necrosis in a COVID-19 positive young male following extremity reconstruction / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

Free flap procedure provides an overall success rate of 97%, which decreases to 85% in hypercoagulable states. COVID-19, as a pro-thrombotic disorder, therefore seems detrimental to free flap survival. We encountered a case of unique pattern of free flap partial failure in a young male who underwent extremity reconstruction. The patient was diagnosed as COVID-19 positive on the 3rd day post-reconstruction. The flap survived well for the first 7 days post-operatively, but gradually the skin got necrosed and the subcutaneous fat layer was preserved when debriding. To our knowledge, this is the only case in which the skin of the free flap of a COVID-19 positive patient was necrosed almost entirely subsequently, while the subcutaneous fat was relatively preserved.

Muscle strength and psychometric properties of the health-related quality of life in patients with soft tissue sarcoma resection in the thigh

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of STS resection in the thigh on MS and the HRQoL. Methods: Fourteen adults patients with STS in the thigh who underwent wide resection and limb preservation were evaluated. The patients were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A hand-held dynamometer was used to measure the MS the flexors, adductors, abductors, and extensors muscles of the operated and non-operated thighs and between the dominant and non-dominant operated sides. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were applied to quantify the psychometric properties of the HRQoL. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test (MS), and Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation (MSTS and SF-36) (α = 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference in MS between the operated side and the non-operated side, and between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ > 0.05). The MSTS presented a significant difference in the emotional acceptance for patients submitted to radiotherapy (ρ = 0.029). The SF-36 showed significant differences in the emotional aspect for patients submitted to chemotherapy (ρ = 0.027) and in the social aspect between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ = 0.024). Conclusions: The HRQoL of adult patients is hampered after the treatment of STS even when MS is maintained.

Utilização de retalho baseado na artéria genicular lateral superior na cobertura de lesões de membros inferiores: relato de casos / Use of a flap based on the superior lateral genicular artery to cover lower limb injuries: case reports

O joelho é uma das principais articulações do corpo humano e, em função de sua conformação e funcionalidade, é facilmente suscetível a lesões. A reconstrução cirúrgica de lesões ao redor do joelho e região proximal da perna representa um grande desafio devido à exposição de estruturas osteoarticulares, tendinomusculares e neurovasculares e tem sido realizada com uso de diversos retalhos musculares e musculocutâneos. Outros retalhos também são descritos para tratamento dessas lesões, embora em menor frequência na literatura, como o retalho cutâneo baseado no pedículo da artéria genicular lateral superior. A seguir, é apresentado o relato de cinco casos de pacientes vítimas de acidentes motociclísticos nos quais realizou-se a cobertura da lesão ao redor do joelho e região proximal da perna com o uso do retalho cutâneo baseado no pedículo da artéria genicular lateral superior, nos quais foram obtidos uma boa cobertura das lesões, alta taxa de sobrevida do retalho, bons resultados clínicos e estéticos. O uso do artéria genicular lateral superior apresenta vantagens estéticas, visto que a cor e a textura do retalho são semelhantes às da região do joelho e conferem uma aparência de melhor qualidade, além de não causarem problemas de mobilidade articular.

The knee is one of the main joints in the human body, and due to its conformation and functionality, it is easily susceptible to injuries. Surgical reconstruction of injuries around the knee and proximal region of the leg represents a major challenge due to the exposure of osteoarticular, tendinomuscular and neurovascular structures and has been performed using various muscle and musculocutaneous flaps. Other flaps are also described for treating these lesions, although less frequently in the literature, such as the cutaneous flap based on the pedicle of the superior lateral genicular artery. Next, It presents a report of five cases of patients who were victims of motorcycle accidents in which the lesion was covered around the knee and proximal region of the leg using a skin flap based on the pedicle of the superior lateral genicular artery, in which good coverage of lesions, high flap survival rate, good clinical and aesthetic results. The use of the superior lateral genicular artery presents aesthetic advantages since the color and texture of the flap are similar to those of the knee region and provide a better quality appearance, in addition to not causing joint mobility problems.

A COMPARATIVE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF PLASTIC RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY AFTER EXCISION OF ORAL CAVITY CARCINOMA USING PMMC FLAP, RADIAL FREE FLAP, OR ALT FREE FLAP

OBJECTIVES & AIMS: To determine whether the known risk factors such as comorbidities like diabetes &hypertension, or smoking increase the complications of flap transfer. Whether the type of flap transfer has any effect on flap related complications or onpost-operative rehabilitation of patients.METHODOLOGY:This is a retrospective study conducted at GCS Hospital, Ahmedabad, between January 2020to July 2021. Sample size is 63 patients with oral cavity cancer, out of which 21 underwentPMMC flap reconstruction, 21 underwent free ALT free flap reconstruction and 21underwent Radial free flap reconstruction.CONCLUSION:Risks have not increased complications in free flap or PMMC group in our study. Variousother studies have similar results however a larger patient pool may be needed to assess them.Though the flap related complications & donor site related complications are more withPMMC flap as compared to ALT & Radial free flap, statistically there is no significantdifference. Also, in the functional post-op outcomes there is no statistically significantdifference with PMMC flap, ALT free flap or Radial free flap.

Thigh Pain and Peri-Implant Fractures with the Use of Short Cephalo-medullary Nails: A Retrospective Study of 122 Patients

@#Introduction: To assess the incidence and causes of persistent thigh pain and peri-implant fractures after union in patients of intertrochanteric fractures treated with short cephalo-medullary nails. Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study conducted at a Level 1 Trauma centre. A total of 122 patients of intertrochanteric fractures who were operated using short cephalo-medullary nails (170mm and 200mm lengths) between January 2018 to June 2019 were included in the study. Main outcomes measured were the incidence of thigh pain and peri-implant fractures. Results: Out of the 122 patients with a mean follow-up of 14.1 month, 12 patients had persistent thigh pain. Six patients had the helical blade protruding from the lateral cortex, two of them had distal tip of nail abutting on the anterior cortex and four cases had prominent proximal segment of nail which may explain the cause of their pain. Five of these patients had a combination of these findings. Two patients had pain for which no other obvious cause was found. There were no cases of peri-implant fractures in our study. Conclusion: Thigh pain associated with the use of short cephalon-medullary nails is often unrelated to nail length and can be prevented by using proper surgical technique. There seems to be no association between the use of short nails and peri-implant fractures.

Repair of complex defects in right upper extremity with microsurgery: A case report / 中华显微外科杂志

This is a report of a complex defects in the right upper extremity treated in the Department of Hand and Microsurgery, 521 Hospital of Norinco Group, in October 2016. The patient received multi-transfers of flaps for one-stage reconstruction, including a double-paddled ALTPF and a compound flap of the great toe and the second toe. Vascular compromises occurred in flaps on the 2nd day after surgery. All the flaps were rescued and survived completely after surgical exploration. Followed-up at 3 year after surgery showed that the appearance and function of the affected limb recovered well. The flexion and extension of elbow and wrist were normal. The pinch function of the reconstructed thumb and index finger recovered well.

Two-stage repair of composite soft tissue defect of dorsal wrist: Free flap transfer followed by transplantation of allogeneic tendon / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of a two-staged repair and reconstruction of composite soft tissue defect of dorsal wrist with transfer of free flap (in stage-one) repair and followed by transplantation of allogeneic tendon (in stage-two) reconstruction.Methods:From December 2018 to January 2021, 6 cases with dorsal wrist composite tissue injury and extensor tendon defect were treated in the Department of Hand and Microsurgery of the Fourth People's Hospital of Guiyang City. Four cases were treated with free anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) combined with allogeneic tendon in the first stage to reconstruct finger dorsiflexion function, and 2 cases were treated with free ilioinguinal flap combined with allogeneic tendon in the second stage to reconstruct finger dorsiflexion function. The age of the patients ranged from 22 to 62 years old. The areas of defect were 5.0 cm×12.0 cm-8.0 cm×20.0 cm. Two cases had 2 extensor tendons defect, 1 had 3 extensor tendons defect, 2 had 4 extensor tendons defect, and 1 had 5 extensor tendons defect. The length of extensor tendon defects was 7.0-22.0 cm. In 5 cases, the wounds were covered by VSD for 5 to 7 days after complete emergenly debridement. Then, after the wounds had been cleared and clean, the wounds of 3 cases were covered with free ALTF, 2 with free ilioinguinal flap, and 1 with free ALTF after skin graft scar resection. At 3-4 months later, the extension function of digit was reconstructed with the transplantation of allogeneic tendons. Postoperative appearance of the flaps and functions of digits were observed at the outpatient clinics during the follow-up.Results:The postoperative follow-up lasted for 10 to 26 (15 in average) months. All 6 flaps surrived completely, and 1 case was further treated with flap thinning at 4 months after the second surgery. During the follow-up, all flaps healed well and were good in appearance and texture. Meanwhile, the donor areas were all healed well with no dysfunction nor sensory disorder. All the transplanted tendons were in good glide without adhesion. The active motion of metacarpophalangeal joints ranged from (10±10) ° to (80±10) °. According to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, at the final follow-up, 4 cases were excellent and 2 cases were good.Conclusion:It is safe and effective that using the two-staged procedure in repair of composite tissue defect of dorsal wrist with stage-one ALTF or ilioinguinal flap transfer combined with stage-two reconstruction with transplantation of allogeneic tendon. It can minimize the adhesion after tendon transplantation and donor site damage

Effect on scar in donor area of small-and medium-sized anterolateral thigh perforator flap harvested from superficial and deep layer of the superficial fascia / 中华显微外科杂志

Objective:To compare the effect on scar in donor area of small-and medium-sized anterolateral thigh perforator flap(ALTPF) harvested from superficial and deep layer of the superficial fascia.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 31 patients who had small-and medium-sized soft tissue defects in the extremities and admitted to the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University from January 2020 to February 2021. All the patients were repaired with ALTPFs. The sizes of defect ranged from 5.0 cm×3.5 cm to 17.0 cm×6.0 cm, and the flaps sized from 6.0 cm×4.0 cm to 20.0 cm×6.0 cm. Fifteen ALTPFs were harvested from superficial layer of superficial fascia (modified group), and 16 harvested from deep layer of superficial fascia (traditional group). The flap donor sites were sutured directly using the "Zunyi suture method". Appearance of scars was assessed within the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and in addition the width of scars was been recorded. The data of the 2 groups were statistically analyzed. There was statistically significant difference when P<0.05. Results:All flaps were successfully viable. All wounds healed in Ⅰ stage and donor incisions healed in Ⅰ stage at 2-3 weeks after the surgery. All patients entered postoperative follow-up for 6 to 26 months, with a mean of 10.7 months. There was no ischaemic necrosis at the donor margin. There was no significant difference between circumference of thighs between the modified group and traditional group [ (0.10±0.40) cm and (0.03±0.39) cm, respectively]( P>0.05). VSS were found lower in the modified group (2.00±1.46) than that in the traditional group (3.06±1.61)( t=2.132, P=0.039), as well as the scars were found smaller at the widest point[(6.67±3.85) cm and(16.06±6.63) cm, respectively. t=2.807, P=0.005]. The differences were statistically significant( P<0.05). Conclusion:Small-and medium-sized ALTPFs, harvested in the superficial layer of superficial fascia, can reduce the width of the donor scar, improve the surgical outcome and increase patient satisfaction.

Clinical application of the mixed reality technique to assist the location and anatomy of perforator vessels of the anterolateral femoral flap / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To explore the clinical application value of mixed reality technology in locating perforator vessels and assisting perforator vessel dissection to harvest anterolateral thigh flaps.@*Methods@#Six patients who needed anterolateral thigh flap repair after resection of oral and maxillofacial tumors were recruited from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Nanchong Central Hospital from January 2020 to January 2021. Before surgery, the CT angiography data of the lower limbs of the patients carrying the calibration points were imported into the data workstation to perform 3D reconstruction of the perforator vessels and surrounding tissues of the thigh, and the reconstruction results were imported into Microsoft HoloLens 2 glasses. During the operation, calibration was performed at the calibration point of the operative area so that the preoperative reconstruction results were superimposed on the operative area through Microsoft HoloLens 2 glasses. The clinical application value of mixed reality technology assisted perforator vessel location and anatomy of anterolateral femoral perforator flap was discussed from six aspects: whether the perforator vessel was reconstructed preoperatively, intraoperative calibration time, whether the actual position of the perforating vessels passing through the fascia lata fulcrum deviated from the preoperative reconstruction result within 1 cm, time required to harvest the flap, and whether the actual route of the perforator vessel was consistent with the reconstruction result, and whether the postoperative flap survived.@*Results @# The position and course of perforating vessels were successfully reconstructed in 6 cases before the operation. The actual course of perforating vessels during the operation was consistent with the reconstruction results. The deviation between the actual position of the perforating points and the preoperative reconstruction results was within 1 cm, which met the requirements of the actual asisting of the anterolateral thigh flap. The average time of flap harvest was (70.50 ± 7.20) min. The average calibration time was (13.33 ± 5.50) min. All flaps survived.@* Conclusions @# Mixed reality technology projects the reconstruction results of anterolateral femoral perforator vessels directly into the operative area, which provides a new method for asisting localization and anatomy of anterolateral femoral flap perforator vessels and reduces the possibility of injury to perforator vessels.