Free anterolateral thigh flap with reversed arterial flow in repair of foot and ankle wounds in children / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate feasibility and clinical effect of free anterolateral thigh flap(ALTF) with reversed arterial flow in repair of foot and ankle wounds in children.Methods:From October 2014 to February 2021, the free ALTF with reversed arterial flow was used to repair the wounds in 7 children with severe soft tissue injury and main blood vessel injury in the Department of Hand & Foot Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of University of South China. Of the 7 injured children, 5 were caused by traffic accident, 1 by mechanical strangulation and 1 by heavy object. The size of wounds ranged from 6.0 cm×8.0 cm to 9.0 cm×11.0 cm. ALTF were designed to be anastomosed with the blood vessels at the recipient sites by retrograde blood supply. The size of flaps ranged from 6.0 cm×8.0 cm to 10.0 cm×11.0 cm. All flap donor sites were pulled together and directly sutured. Follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic visits, telephone call and WeChat reviews in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th months after surgery. The major contents in follow-up were the shape, colour, texture, sensation of flap and function of ankles.Results:All donor sites healed at I stage. A total of 5 flaps survived successfully; One flap had venous occlusion after surgery, and the flap survived after surgical exploration; One flap had partial necrosis after surgery, and repaired with artificial dermis after further debridement. Postoperative follow-up lasted for 6-24 months, with an average of 10.5 months. All flaps appeared in similar colour and texture to the surrounding soft tissues. Two children underwent flap repair after half a year due to bloated flaps. The Ankle-hind foot Function Score of American Orthopedic Foot Ankle Society(AOFAS) was used to evaluate the ankle function. AOFAS achieved 84-94 points, with 5 children in excellent and 2 in good. The sensation recovered to S 3+ in 5 children, S 3 in 1 child and S 2 in 1 child, according to the standard of British Medical Research Council (BMRC). Conclusion:For the children with severe soft tissue injury combined with main vascular injury in foot and ankle, free ALTF with reversed arterial flow can repair the defect and effectively secure the blood supply. It is a feasible method for wound repair.