Objective To investigate the effectiveness of high frequency color Doppler ultrasound for detecting perforators in the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap surgery. Methods Between February 2011 and July 2012, 8 patients underwent high frequency color Doppler ultrasound to detect the perforator anatomy before ALT flap surgery. There were 5 males and 3 females, aged 21-46 years (mean, 34 years). Defects were caused by excision of squamous cell carcinoma in 2 cases, by scalp avulsion in 2 cases, by soft tissue necrosis after neck trauma in 1 case, by excision of groin fibrosarcoma in 1 case, by excision of groin melanoma in 1 case, and by malformation of the face in 1 case. The defect size varied from 12 cm × 7 cm to 22 cm × 18 cm. The perforator with wider caliber, faster flow speed, and shorter intramuscular trajectory was selected, and the flap was designed according to the observed results, which size varied from 14 cm × 9 cm to 25 cm × 20 cm. The donnor sites were repaired by free skin graft. Results Totally, 19 perforators in the flap area were detected by high frequency color Doppler ultrasound, and 18 were identified during operation, with an accuracy rate of 94.7%. The point going out muscle, the travel and direction of perforators observed during operation were basically in accordance with those detected by high frequency color Doppler ultrasound. The other flaps survived, and obtained healing by first intention except 1 flap which had partial fat necrosis with healing by second intention. The skin graft at donor site survived. All patients followed up 4-16 months (mean, 8 months). The flaps had good color and texture. Conclusion High frequency color Doppler ultrasound is a valuable imaging modality for the preoperative assessment of the vascular supply for ALT flap.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of anterolateral thigh and groin conjoined flap in emergent repair of ultra-long complex tissue defects in forearm and hand. Methods Between February 2009 and October 2011, 6 patients with complex tissue defect of dorsal forearm and hand were in adminsion. There were 5 male and 1 female with an average age of 38.5 years (range, 32-47 years). Injury reasons included machine injury in 5 cases and traffic accident injury in 1 case. Injury to admission time was from 3 to 16 hours (mean, 6 hours). All case were single limb injury, including right forearm and hand injury in 4 cases and left forearm and hand injury in 2 cases. The wound area was from 36 cm × 9 cm to 48 cm × 12 cm. The type of associated injury included elbow dislocation associated with open injury in 2 cases; fractures of the radial, ulnar, and metacarpal bone in 4 cases; defects of wrist dorsal skin and extensor tendons of fingers and wrist in 5 cases; and defects of ulnar artery and ulnar nerve in 1 case. The anterolateral thigh and groin conjoined free flaps were used to repair defects in the forearm and hand in emergency. The area of flap was from 36 cm × 9 cm to 48 cm × 12 cm. Meanwhile the partial functional reconstruction was performed. The donor site was repaired by skin grafts. Results The anastomotic embolization of vascular pedicle and arteria interossea dorsalis occurred in 1 case, purulent secretion under the flap in 1 case, which were cured after symptomatic treatment; the skin flaps completely survived, and primary healing of the wounds were obtained in the other cases. The donor skin grafts survived in 2 cases, and partial necrosis of the skin graft of lower abdominal occurred in 4 cases, and healed after changing dressing. All of the 6 patients were followed up 3 to 18 months (mean, 10 months). The appearance and texture of the flaps were good. The protective sensation was recovered in 2 cases followed up for more than 14 months; no sensory recovery was observed in the other cases. At last follow-up, according to the upper extremity functional evaluation standard by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 1 case, good in 4 cases, and poor in 1 case, and the excellent and good rate was 83.3%. Conclusion It could get a good short-term effectiveness to use the anterolateral thigh and groin conjoined flap for emergent repair of the ultra-long and complex tissue defects in forearm and hand.
【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the method and effectiveness of reverse anterolateral thigh flap and muscle flap for repair of wound defects with exposed tibia in the proximal-middle leg. Methods Between October 2005 and April 2010, 16 patients with wound defects with exposed tibia in the proximal-middle leg were treated with reverse anterolateral thigh flap and muscle flap. There were 10 males and 6 females, aged from 16 to 52 years. Injury was caused by traffic accident in 11 cases and by crushing in 5 cases. The disease duration of 1-6 hours (mean, 3 hours) in 10 patients and 6-14 days (mean, 10 days) in 6 patients, who underwent tibial fracture plate fixation in other hospitals. The size of wound ranged from 13 cm × 7 cm to 20 cm × 13 cm. The size of the flap ranged from 16 cm × 10 cm to 23 cm × 15 cm. The donor sites were covered with splite thickness skin grafts. Results Infection occurred in 2 flaps at 5-7 days and was cured after 1 week of dressing change; the other flaps survived and the wounds healed by first intention. The incisions healed well and the skin grafts survived at the donor sites. All cases were followed up 10-23 months (mean, 18 months). The appearance of the flap was slightly overstaffed, but the color and texture were satisfactory. All fractures healed at 8-10 months after operation. Conclusion It is effective to repair wound defects with exposed tibia in the proximal-middle leg with reverse anterolateral thigh flap and muscle flap.
Objective To summarize the method and the cl inical outcome of repairing both toe extensor tendon and dorsal foot wounds with anterolateral thigh flap. Methods Between February 2007 and May 2009, 11 patients with toe extensor tendon and dorsal foot defect were treated with anterolateral thigh flap. There were 8 males and 3 females with a medianage of 45 years (range, 10-60 years). The causes of injury were sharp injury in 3 cases, machine crush injury in 3 cases, and traffic accident injury in 5 cases, including 7 cases of fresh wounds with a disease duration of 2-8 hours and 4 cases of old wounds with a disease duration of 3-15 days. The size of wound ranged from 6 cm × 5 cm to 25 cm × 15 cm. All cases compl icated by toe extensor tendon defect, which were located at the 2nd-5th toes in 1 case, 3rd-5th toes in 1 case, 2nd-4th toes in 2 cases, 2nd and 3rd toes in 3 cases, 1st and 2nd toes in 1 case, and 1st toe in 3 cases. In the first stage, the anterolateral thigh flap ranged from 8 cm × 7 cm to 27 cm × 15 cm was used to repair defect and fascia lata was used to bridge two ends of digitorum longus tendon; the donor site was sutured or repaired with the skin graft. The second stage was performed after 2-3 months, tenolysis for tendon was performed, and fascia lata was spl it into tendon-l ike shape; and the toe functional exercises were done. Results All flaps survived completely after the first stage, wounds healed by first intention; the donor skin graft survived and incisions healed by first intention. At 7 days after the second stage, marginal necrosis occurred in 3 flaps (0.5-2.0 cm in width), and healed after 15-20 days of dressing change; the other flaps survived, and incisions healed by first intention. Eight patients were followed up 12-18 months (mean, 15 months). Excepts 4 sl ight bulky flaps, the other flaps had satisfactory appearance and soft texture with two points discrimination of 1-3 cm. During the follow-up, part of the dorsiflexion function recovered in 5 patients (5-40°), andflexion function was normal; 3 dorsiflexion function disappeared without effect on the function of toe flexion, and the patients could walk normally. No toe ptosis occurred. Conclusion Appl ication of the anterolateral thigh flap can repair toe extensor tendon and dorsal foot wounds with short treatment time and less damage at the donor site, so it can avoid toe ptosis after surgery and achieve excellent cl inical results.
Objective To investigate the donor-site compl ications of the anterolateral thigh flap and its influencing factors. Methods Between July 1988 and July 2007, 427 patients were treated with anterolateral thigh flap. Among them, 33 patients had postoperative donor-site compl ications and their cl inical data were analyzed retrospectively. There were 21 malesand 12 females aged 14-47 years old (average 32.7 years old). The size of the wound defect ranged from 16 cm × 7 cm to 28 cm × 13 cm. The area of the flap harvested during operation ranged from 16 cm × 7 cm to 30 cm × 13 cm. The donor sites were treated by direct suture in 7 cases; free spl it-thickness skin graft in 23 cases, and reverse superficial epigastric artery flap repair in 3 cases. The size of graft in the donor site ranged from 10 cm × 5 cm to 18 cm × 8 cm. The occurrence of short-term (within 4 weeks) and long-term (over 6 months) compl ications were analyzed. Results All patients were followed up for 8-54 months (average 21 months). There were 26 patients (78.8%) with short-term and long-term compl ications and 7 patients (21.2%) with long-term compl ications. The short-term compl ications included skin graft necrosis in 23 cases (69.7%), wound infection in 17 cases (51.5%), and muscle necrosis in 2 cases (6.1%). The long-term compl ications included non-heal ing wounds in 21 cases (63.6%), serious scar in 28 cases (84.8%), discomfort in 25 cases (75.8%), and dysfunction of the quadriceps femoris in 16 cases (48.5%). Conclusion The occurrence of anterolateral thigh flap donor-site compl ications is related to the anatomical structure of the anterolateral thigh region, the surgical procedure, and the patient’s physique.