Repair the large area soft tissue defect of forearm with free bilateral anterolateral thigh flaps in series / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of using free bilateral anterolateral thigh flaps(ALTF) in series to repair large area soft tissue defects of forearm.Methods:The clinical data of 11 patients with large soft tissue defects of forearm admitted in the Department of Plastic(Repair and Reconstruction) Surgery, Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University from March 2014 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 8 males and 3 females. Aged 36 to 68 years old, with an average of 48 years old. VSD treatment was performed after debridement, and until fresh removed 3 to 5 days after the operation. Until the wound was fresh. The wound was repaired with free bilateral ALTF in series until fresh. The size of the forearm wound was 18 cm×15 cm-28 cm×13 cm. The cut area of a single flap was 10 cm×8 cm-20 cm×13 cm. The series of bilateral flaps One of the flaps was used as the proximal flap, and its vascular pedicle was anastomosed with the arteries and veins of the recipient area. The other flap was used as the distal flap, and the arteries and veins between the 2 ALTFs on both sides were anastomosed. The vascular pedicle beyond the distal flap was ligated or anastomosed to the distal end of the ulnar artery or the distal end of the radial artery. The flap and the surrounding skin of the recipient area were sutured immediately. The donor sites of the flap was closed directly. Periodic and regular outpatient follow-up was performed after operation and the clinical efficacy was analyzed.Results:All the flaps successfully survived after the surgery. The postoperative follow-up lasted for 6-18 months, 12 months in average. The flaps survived well with good soft texture, without swelling, the capillary reaction time was normal, without surface ulceration, in rosy colour and restored protective sensations. The hand function of the affected limb recovered well. The wound at donor sites healed well without complications. At the last follow-up, the hand function of the affected limb was evaluated by the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association, the result was 7 in excellent and 4 in good. The patients were satisfied with the flap and the therapeutic effect.Conclusion:The free bilateral ALTF in series can be used to repair a wound surface with large area, and the donor site can be closed at the same time. It is an effective method to repair large soft tissue defect of forearm.