Repair of complex soft tissue defect in calf by ALTF with a cross-limb bridged "Y" shape vascular anastomosis: a report of 33 cases / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of ALTF transfer with cross-limb bridged "Y" shape vascular anastomosis in repair of complex soft tissue defects in calf.Methods:From August 2010 to September 2020, 33 patients(23 males and 10 females) with complex traumatic soft tissue defects in calf were treated. Preoperative angiography and intraoperative exploration confirmed that there was only 1 main vessel remained in the affected calf or the wound surface and the vessel could not be anastomosed with the vascular pedicle of the ALTF. The size of flap were 16 cm × 8 cm to 25 cm × 18 cm. Two patients received bilobed ALTFs. A "Y" shape anastomosis between the artery of ALTF vascular pedicle and the posterior tibial artery of the contralateral lower limbs was made in all 33 patients to establish the blood supply to the transferred free ALTF. The "Y" shape cross-limb bridged blood vessels at the proximal end of the vascular pedicle artery of the flap were embedded at both ends of the cut-off superior ankle posterior tibial artery of the contralateral lower limb. The vein of the flap was anastomosed with the saphenous vein that associates with the posterior tibial artery. The surface of the suspended blood vessel "bridge" was wrapped with a free skin craft, and the lower limbs were fixed in a straight and parallel position with an external fixation frame. The perfused area of the flap was directly sutured or covered with a free skin craft. The vascular bridge was kept for 3 to 6 weeks before being separated. Outpatient follow-up after discharge.Results:All the patients were entered the postoperative follow-up was 13 months to 7 years, in an average of 25 months. Among the 33 flaps, 31 survived completely, except 1 had necrosis and the other 1 had partial necrosis at the distal end of the flap. The flaps received good blood supply, hence with soft texture and satisfactory appearance. Doppler or DSA was performed after the surgery on the posterior tibial artery of the healthy limb, and the vascular pulsation and patency were found normal. Donor sites for the free skin graft healed well.Conclusion:The ALTF transfer with cross-limb bridged "Y" vascular anastomosis is one of the effective techniques and it was employed in the repair of complex defects of calf soft tissue. It solved the tissue that there was only 1 main vessel or even without a suitable vessel could be anastomosed with the pedicle of the flap.