A prospective study on the expansion rule of the directional skin and soft tissue expander in abdominal scar reconstruction / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To observe the expansion rule of directional skin and soft tissue expander (hereinafter referred to as expander) in abdominal scar reconstruction. Methods: A prospective self-controlled study was conducted. Twenty patients with abdominal scar who met the inclusion criteria and admitted to Zhengzhou First People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were selected by random number table method, including 5 males and 15 females, aged 12-51 (31±12) years, with 12 patients of type Ⅰ scar and 8 patients of type Ⅱ scar. In the first stage, two or three expanders with rated capacity of 300-600 mL were placed on both sides of the scar, of which at least one expander had rated capacity of 500 mL (as the follow-up observation object). After the sutures were removed, water injection treatment was started, with the expansion time of 4 to 6 months. After the water injection volume reached 2.0 times of the rated capacity of expander, abdominal scar excision+expander removal+local expanded flap transfer repair was performed in the second stage. The skin surface area at the expansion site was measured respectively when the water injection volume reached 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.0 times of the rated capacity of expander, and the skin expansion rate of the expansion site at corresponding multiples of expansion (1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.0 times) and adjacent multiple intervals (1.0-1.2, 1.2-1.5, 1.5-1.8, and 1.8-2.0 times) were calculated. The skin surface area of the repaired site at 0 (immediately), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after operation, and the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site at different time points (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after operation) and different time periods (0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 months after operation) were calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance for repeated measurement and least significant difference-t test. Results: Compared with the expansion of 1.0 time ((287.6±2.2) cm2 and (47.0±0.7)%), the skin surface area and expansion rate of the expansion site of patients ((315.8±2.1), (356.1±2.8), (384.9±1.6), and (386.2±1.5) cm2, (51.7±0.6)%, (57.2±0.6)%, (60.4±0.6)%, and (60.5±0.6)%) were significantly increased when the expansion reached 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.0 times (with t values of 46.04, 90.38, 150.14, 159.55, 45.11, 87.83, 135.82, and 118.48, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.2 times, the skin surface area and expansion rate of the expansion site of patients were significantly increased when the expansion reached 1.5, 1.8, and 2.0 times (with t values of 49.82, 109.64, 122.14, 144.19, 49.51, and 105.85, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.5 times, the skin surface area and expansion rate of the expansion site of patients were significantly increased when the expansion reached 1.8 times (with t values of 38.93 and 39.22, respectively, P<0.05) and 2.0 times (with t values of 38.37 and 38.78, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.8 times, the skin surface area and expansion rate of the expansion site of patients both had no statistically significant differences when the expansion reached 2.0 times (with t values of 4.71 and 4.72, respectively, P>0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.0-1.2 times, the skin expansion rate of the expansion site of patient was significantly increased when the expansion reached 1.2-1.5 times (t=6.95, P<0.05), while the skin expansion rate of the expansion site of patient was significantly decreased when the expansion reached 1.5-1.8 and 1.8-2.0 times (with t values of 5.89 and 40.75, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.2-1.5 times, the skin expansion rate of the expansion site of patient was significantly decreased when the expansion reached 1.5-1.8 and 1.8-2.0 times (with t values of 10.50 and 41.92, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with the expansion of 1.5-1.8 times, the skin expansion rate of the expansion site of patient was significantly decreased when the expansion reached 1.8-2.0 times (t=32.60, P<0.05). Compared with 0 month after operation, the skin surface area of the repaired site of patient at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after operation was significantly decreased (with t values of 61.66, 82.70, 96.44, 102.81, 104.51, and 102.21, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 1 month after operation, the skin surface area of the repaired site of patient was significantly decreased at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after operation (with t values of 37.37, 64.64, 69.40, 72.46, and 72.62, respectively, P<0.05), while the skin shrinkage rate was significantly increased (with t values of 32.29, 50.00, 52.67, 54.76, and 54.62, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 2 months after operation, the skin surface area of the repaired site of patient was significantly decreased at 3, 4, 5, and 6 months after operation (with t values of 52.41, 60.41, 70.30, and 65.32, respectively, P<0.05), while the skin shrinkage rate was significantly increased (with t values of 52.97, 59.29, 69.68, and 64.50, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 3 months after operation, the skin surface area of the repaired site of patient was significantly decreased at 4, 5, and 6 months after operation (with t values of 5.53, 38.00, and 38.52, respectively, P<0.05), while the skin shrinkage rate was significantly increased (with t values of 25.36, 38.59, and 37.47, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 4 months after operation, the skin surface area (with t values of 41.10 and 50.50, respectively, P>0.05) and skin shrinkage rate (with t values of 48.09 and 50.00, respectively, P>0.05) of the repaired site of patients at 5 and 6 months after operation showed no statistically significant differences. Compared with 5 months after operation, the skin surface area and skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patient at 6 months after operation showed no statistically significant differences (with t values of 9.40 and 9.59, respectively, P>0.05). Compared with 0-1 month after operation, the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patient at 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 months after operation was significantly decreased (with t values of 13.56, 40.00, 49.21, 53.97, and 57.68, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 1-2 months after operation, the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patients at 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 months after operation was significantly decreased (with t values of 12.37, 27.72, 30.16, and 31.67, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 2-3 months after operation, the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patients at 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 months after operation was significantly decreased (with t values of 33.73, 41.31, and 54.10, respectively, P<0.05). Compared with 3-4 months after operation, the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patient at 4-5 and 5-6 months after operation showed no statistically significant differences (with t values of 10.90 and 23.60, respectively, P>0.05). Compared with 4-5 months after operation, the skin shrinkage rate of the repaired site of patient at 5-6 months after operation showed no statistically significant difference (t=20.90, P>0.05). Conclusions: The expander can effectively expand the abdominal skin, thus repairing the abdominal scar deformity. Maintained expansion for one month after the water injection expansion reaches 1.8 times of the rated capacity of the expander can be set as a phase Ⅱ operation node.

Clinical effects of free hallux-nail flap combined with the second toe composite tissue flap in the reconstruction of damaged thumb after electrical burns / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of free hallux-nail flap combined with the second toe composite tissue flap in the reconstruction of damaged thumb after electrical burns. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From May 2018 to April 2021, 12 male patients with thumb destructive defects caused by electrical burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Zhengzhou First People's Hospital, aged 27 to 58 years, including 10 cases with degree Ⅲ thumb defect and 2 cases with degree Ⅳ thumb defect after thorough debridement. The thumb was reconstructed with free hallux-nail flap combined with composite tissue flap of the second phalangeal bone, joint, and tendon with skin island. The donor site of hallux-nail flap was covered with artificial dermis in the first stage and performed with continuous vacuum sealing drainage, and covered with medium-thickness skin graft from the groin site in the second stage. The donor site in the second toe was filled and fixed with iliac bone strips. The survival of reconstructed thumb was observed 1 week after the reconstruction surgery, the survival of skin graft in the donor site of hallux-nail flap was observed 2 weeks after skin grafting, and the callus formation of the reconstructed thumb phalanx and the second toe of the donor foot was observed by X-ray 6 weeks after the reconstruction surgery. During the follow-up, the shape of reconstructed thumb was observed and the sensory function was evaluated; the function of reconstructed thumb was evaluated with trial standard for the evaluation of the functions of the upper limbs of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association; whether the interphalangeal joints of the hallux and the second toe were stiff, the scar hyperplasia of the foot donor site, and whether the walking and standing functions of the donor feet were limited were observed. Results: One week after the reconstruction surgery, all the reconstructed thumbs of the patients survived. Two weeks after skin grafting, the skin grafts in the donor site of hallux-nail flap of 11 patients survived, while the skin graft in the donor site of hallux-nail flap of 1 patient was partially necrotic, which was healed completely after 10 days' dressing change. Six weeks after the reconstruction surgery, callus formation was observed in the reconstructed thumb and the second toe of the donor foot of 10 patients, the Kirschner wires were removed; while callus formation of the reconstructed thumb was poor in 2 patients, and the Kirschner wires were removed after 2 weeks of delay. During the follow-up of 6 to 24 months, the shape of reconstructed thumb was similar to that of the healthy thumb, the discrimination distance between the two points of the reconstructed thumb was 7 to 11 mm, and the functional evaluation results were excellent in 4 cases, good in 6 cases, and fair in 2 cases. The interphalangeal joints of the hallux and the second toe of the donor foot were stiff, mild scar hyperplasia was left in the donor site of foot, and the standing and walking functions of the donor foot were not significantly limited. Conclusions: The application of free hallux-nail flap combined with the second toe composite tissue flap in the reconstruction of damaged thumb after electrical burns adopts the concept of reconstruction instead of repair to close the wound. It can restore the shape and function of the damaged thumb without causing great damage to the donor foot.

Effects of expanded frontal-parietal pedicled flap in reconstructing cervical scar contracture deformity in children after burns / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To explore the effects of expanded frontal-parietal pedicled flap in reconstructing cervical scar contracture deformity in children after burns. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From January 2015 to December 2020, 18 male children with cervical scar contracture deformity after burns who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Zhengzhou First People's Hospital, aged 4 to 12 years, including 10 cases with degree Ⅱ cervical scar contracture deformity and 8 cases with degree Ⅲ scar contracture deformity, and were all reconstructed with expanded frontal-parietal pedicled flap. The surgery was performed in 3 stages. In the first stage, a cylindrical skin and soft tissue expander (hereinafter referred to as expander) with rated capacity of 300 to 500 mL was placed in the frontal-parietal region. The expansion time was 4 to 6 months with the total normal saline injection volume being 2.1 to 3.0 times of the rated capacity of expander. In the second stage, expander removal, scar excision, contracture release, and flap transfer were performed, with the flap areas of 18 cm×9 cm to 23 cm×13 cm and the secondary wound areas of 16 cm×8 cm to 21 cm×11 cm after scar excision and contracture release. After 3 to 4 weeks, in the third stage, the flap pedicle was cut off and restored. The rated volume of placed expander, total normal saline injection volume, type of vascular pedicle of flap, survival of flap and reconstruction of scar after the second stage surgery were recorded. The neck range of motion and cervico-mental angle were measured before surgery and one-year after surgery. The appearance of neck, occurrence of common complications in the donor and recipient sites of children, and satisfaction of children's families for treatment effects were followed up. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test. Results: All the patients successfully completed the three stages of operation. The rated volume of implanted expander was 300 mL in 6 children, 400 mL in 9 children, and 500 mL in 3 children, with the volume of normal saline injection being 630 to 1 500 mL. The type of vascular pedicle of flap was double pedicle in 13 cases and was single pedicle in 5 cases. All the flaps in 17 children survived well, and the secondary wounds after neck scar excision and contracture release were all reconstructed in one procedure. In one case, the distal blood supply of the single pedicled flap was poor after the second stage surgery, with necrosis of about 2.5 cm in length. The distal necrotic tissue was removed on 10 days after the operation, and the wound was completely closed after the flap was repositioned. In the follow-up of 6 months to 3 years post operation, the cervical scar contracture deformity in 18 children was corrected without recurrence. The flap was not bloated, the texture was soft, and the appearances of chin and neck were good. The range of motion of cervical pre-buckling, extension, left flexion, and right flexion, and cervico-mental angle in one year after operation were improved compared with those before operation (with t values of 43.10, 22.64, 27.96, 20.59, and 88.42, respectively, P<0.01). The incision in the frontal donor site was located in the hairline, the scar was slight and concealed. No complication such as cranial depression was observed in expander placement site, and the children's families were satisfied with the result of reconstruction. Conclusions: Application of expanded frontal-parietal pedicled flap in reconstructing the cervical scar contracture deformity in children after burns can obviously improve the appearance and function of neck, with unlikely recurrence of postoperative scar contractures, thus it is an ideal method of reconstruction.