Repairing of composite soft tissue defects in limbs with micro-dissected chimeric perforator flap pedicled with the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and clinical results of micro-dissected chimeric (II-MCh) perforator flap based on the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery(d-LCFA) for repairing composite soft tissue defects of limbs.Methods:From April, 2011 to December, 2019, a total of 19 cases of composite soft tissue defects of limbs combined with deep cavity were repaired with II-MCh perforator flap or micro-dissected thin lobulated (III-MPCh) perforator flap based on d-LCFA. The flap was micro-dissected before cut off the perforator. The deep dead cavity was filled with muscle flap, and the superficial wound was repaired with micro-dissected thin perforator flap. The sizes of flaps were 6.0 cm×3.0 cm-33.0 cm×8.0 cm. The muscle flaps were cut with volumes of 5.0 cm×3.0 cm×1.0 cm-13.0 cm×10.0 cm×1.5 cm. Donor sites of the flap were closed directly. Postoperative reviews were assigned at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The appearance, colour, texture and recurrence of infection of the flap were checked and recorded.Results:Sixteen flaps survived successfully without necrosis and with primary healing at the donor sites. Two flaps had venous occlusion within 24 hours after surgery and healed after surgical exploration and venous anastomosis. One flap had arterial crisis within 24 hours after surgery and healed after surgical exploration and arterial anastomosis. All patients entered follow-up for 8-36 months with an average of 16 months. All recipient sites achieved satisfactory appearance and function, and only linear scars left at the donor sites.Conclusion:The II-MCh perforator flap based on d-LCFA is a special modality of anterolateral thigh perforator flap, which achieves a satisfying appearance at the recipient site by micro-dissecting the flap within one procedure. This emerging technique can effectively fill the dead cavity, and is an effective method to repair complex soft tissue defects of limbs combined with deep cavity.