Improvement of thoracic umbilical flap repair the extremity giant soft-tissue defects / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the clinical outcome of modified thoracic umbilical flap, spanning chest and abdomen, in repairing large soft-tissue defect of limbs.@*Methods@#From April 2012 to March 2017, 7 patients with large soft-tissue defects of limbs were admitted in the Department of Traumatic Osteopathic, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang. The patients include 5 males and 2 females, aged from 29 to 51 years, with the mean age of 43 years. Four patients had upper limb soft-tissue defect and 3 patients were lower limb. All limbs large soft-tissue defects were treated by ultra-long thoracic umbilical flaps, spanning chest and abdomen. Epigastric artery and intercostal arteries or lateral thoracic artery were included in the flap to provide double blood supply with only one vascular anastomosis.@*Results@#All 7 flaps(30 cm×9 cm-45 cm×13 cm) survived. The followed-up period was 3 months to 1 years. There was no necrosis or infection in tendon and bone observed. The texture of flaps in 5 patients were similar to surrounding skin, or slightly thickened by 2-3 mm. One patient had slightly bloated flap due to obesity, but had no effect on limb function. All patients were satisfied with the outcome.@*Conclusions@#Modified thoracic umbilical flap is an reasonable design for the repairment of large soft-tissue defect of limbs, and easily to carry out.