[Clinical application of Chinese forearm flap: 5-year review].

Twenty-nine patients treated with the Chinese forearm flap from 1985 to 1989 were reviewed. This flap was used for soft tissue defect reconstruction in 19 cases, and phallus reconstruction in 10 patients. There were two cases of total flap failure and two cases of partial failure. Twenty cases used sensory flaps. Donor site complications included partial loss of the skin graft with tendon exposure in one patient (3.4%), limitation of range of movement of the wrist joint in one case (3.4%), and paresthesia over the radial site of the hand in 12 patients. On functional evaluation, 20 patients demonstrated no significant loss of strength in the donor extremity.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip.

We reviewed 39 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of lip from 53 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the lip. The retrospective review includes age, location, risk factors, TNM classification, histologic differentiation, treatment methods, recurrent disease, site of recurrence, and follow-up status. Results reveal prognosis is related to original tumor size, local recurrence, and presence of cervical metastasis. Aggressive surgical treatment is recommended for identifiable poor prognostic lesions and includes surgical excision, prophylactic suprahyoid neck dissection, and possible radical neck dissection.

Metastatic malignant melanoma of upper gastrointestinal tract.

A 74-year-old male patient developed intermittent melena and anemia after he had received surgical resection for malignant melanoma of the right foot and radical dissection of the right inguinal metastatic lymph node. The source of bleeding was identified to be metastatic melanoma of stomach and duodenum by panendoscopy and biopsy. Patient refused surgical intervention and died of pneumonia two weeks later.

[Fleur-de-lis flap].

An Abbe flap with lateral vermilion extension (Fleur-de-lis flap) was used in four cases of secondary deformity of lip and palate with tightness and thinness of upper lip following primary cleft lip and palate surgery. The Abbe island flap was converted into fleur-de-lis flap with extensive mucosal wings to improve the fullness of the upper lip. The results were considered to be superior to those obtained by using an Abbe flap only. The balance between the lips was also improved. The technique is recommended in patients of secondary deformity of cleft lip with severe shortage and thinness of the lip vermilion.

Tissue expanders in soft tissue reconstruction.

In order to reconstruct soft tissue defects, plastic and reconstructive surgeons have developed various means that range from the simplest skin grafts to the most complex transfer of microvascular free flaps, but there are no other more than tissue expansion can achieve good results in both aesthetic and functional aspects. From Oct. 1986 to Oct. 1988, tissue expansion was used in seven male and six female patients aged from 11 to 40 years, with a mean of 25. They were divided into 3 groups according to the location of defects: head and neck, 6 cases; trunk, 2 cases; and extremity, 5 cases. Seven cases had successful results and 6 cases failed: one due to infection, one due to leakage of bag and another 4 due to expander extrusion. We know that tissue expansion is a relatively new technique. It expands the healthy tissue immediately adjacent to the defects and provides tissue with near perfect color match, texture, sensation and hair distribution for reconstruction. Although high risk of failure was noted (6 in 13 cases), it still deserves trying for its reasonable aesthetic and functional results.