Reconstruction of Defect After Wide Excision of Malignant Soft Tissue Tumor of Limb Using Free Flap

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Evaluation of results of free flap as a method of reconstruction in soft tissue defect after wide excision of soft tissue tumor of extremity. Materials and METHODS: From 2000 through 2007, 11 patients received free flap surgery for soft tissue defect after wide excision operation for soft tissue tumor of limbs. Four cases were upper extremities and seven were lower extremities. Four subjects were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma, three as malignant melanoma, two as synovial sarcoma and one as malignant fibrous histiocytoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma. Donor sites of free flap varied with anterolateral thigh flaps in six cases, latissimus dorsi flaps in four, reverse forearm flap in one. By the method of doppler ultrasound, venous circulation was evaluated for the survival of each flap on the third, fifth and seventh day respectively after the operation. RESULTS: 10 of 11 free flaps were successfully survived. Necrosis of free flaps in 1 cases occurred in case of anterolateral thigh flap. CONCLUSION: Free flap can be a useful method for reconstruction of soft tissue defect after wide excision of soft tissue sarcoma of extremity.