Objective To introduce the research progress in the immune of composite tissue allotransplantation. Methods The related articles were reviewed to summarize the immune characteristics, experimental developments, and cl inical experiences of composite tissue allotransplantation. Results Composite allogeneic tissue is on the body surface, including the composition of the complex with high antigenicity. There are a lot of differences in the immune responsesbetween composite tissue allotransplantation and organ transplantation, such as immunosuppressant protocol, rejectiondiagnosis, and chronic rejection. Conclusion In the next study, it is urgently needed to learn these experiences and toestabl ish the special standard of composite tissue allotransplantation in induction of immune tolerance, local medication, and rejection diagnosis.
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 review the research progress of composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA), analyzethe superiority and the inferiority, and inform the possible direction of further research. Methods Literature concerningCTA was reviewed and analyzed in terms of the l imits of conventional reparative and reconstructive surgery, the definitionof CTA, potential advantages, and treatment risks. Results The cl inical research of CTA both at home and abroad proved that the therapeutic effect of CTA was better than that of conventional reparative and reconstructive surgery. However, therisks resulting from immunosuppressive therapy were still the primary factors restraining the wide cl inical appl ication ofCTA. Conclusion The development of immunosuppressive therapy explores a great development potential for the CTA, and how to decrease the treatment risk of immunosuppressive therapy will be the main research direction in the field of CTA.
Objective To summarize and review the development and experience of anastomosis vascular pedicle free composite tissue flap. Methods From July 1987 to March 2007， 321 patients with complete records were treated. Fourteen tissue flaps were applied for the repair of trauma or tumor excision defects of the body, and for organ reconstruction. Results Vascular crisis occurred in 20 patients within 48 hours postoperatively. Necrosis occurred at flap end in 6 patients. The total survival rate was 94.8%. The main experience was: ① Training to grasp the basic microvascular anastomosis technique was very importantstarting up period for surgeons. The basic technique should be often practiced to ensure the safty of clinical application. ②Restoring appearance and function were equally important in practice.③Utilizing the minimal invasive methods and decreasing the loss of function of donor site were important for improvement of reconstruction quality. The purpose was to achieve functional and esthetic restoration in the condition of lowest donor site scarification. Conclusion The application of free composite tissue flap is important for the development of plastic surgery. There are extensive applications for free flap, especially for those critical patients. The application of free flap could decrease the mobility rate, shorten the treatment period, ease the pain of patients and improve the reconstruction effect. The experience of donor site selection, the strategy of poor recipient site condition, the advantages and disadvantages of muscle flap, the applications time, infections wound treatment and application, are helpful for the future application.
Objective To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of vascularized free peroneal composite flaps for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects. Methods From November 1999 to December 2002, 28 cases of oral maxillofacial defects were reconstructed with vascularized free peroneal composite flaps, with fibulacutaneous flap in 21 cases and with fibulamyocutaneous flap in 7 cases. Three cases received insertion of dental implants into the fibula flap. The flap size was 3.0 cm×5.5 cm to 8.0 cm ×12.0 cm; the fibula length was 5.5 cm to 16.0 cm. Results Of the 28 flaps reconstructed, 24 survived,3 necrosed partially and 1 necrosed completely. All the 5 implants survived andachieved good bone integration in 3 cases. Twenty-six cases were followed up 1-36 months with an average of 18.5 months, the facial appearance and the vocal function were satisfactory in 23 cases. Conclusion Vascularized peroneal flap has many advantages and is one of the optimal flaps for reconstruction of oral maxillofacial defects.
OBJECTIVE To study the effect of combined application of external cyclosporine A (CsA) and CTLA4Ig in inhibiting rejection and inducing immune tolerance in composite tissue allograft. METHODS: The auricles with vessel pedicle were transplanted from Lewis rats to BN rats under microsurgery. CsA was spreaded on the surface of grafts in combination with administration of CTLA4Ig intraperitoneally after transplantation. The rejection response and survival time of grafts were observed, and the IL-2 level in serum was measured. RESULTS: The mean survival time was (7.8 +/- 1.7) days in control group. It was (15.2 +/- 1.9) days when recipients treated by CsA and (16.6 +/- 2.1) days by CTLA4Ig. Under the combination of CsA and CTLA4Ig, the mean survival time was significantly prolonged to (28.8 +/- 3.5) days (P lt; 0.05) with the lowest level of IL-2 in serum of recipients. CONCLUSION: The combined application of external CsA and CTLA4Ig inhibits rejection of allograft effectively, which can be a favorable therapy on composite tissue allo-transplantation.
Forty-eight cases of multi-structural defects of hands were primarily repaired or reconstructed from July 1989 to 1997. The structural defects included: the defects of radial or ulnar aspect of hands involving fingers and skin, multiple fingers defects and the fingers and skin defects of whole hand. In this series, there were 32 males and 16 females with age ranged from 17 to 46 years old. The composite tissue grafts were obtained from wrap-around flap or 2nd toe skin flap of the foot. The result showed that composite 108 tissues transplantations, or 48 cases, were all survived. After a follow-up of 38.5 months (ranged from 5 months to 6 years), the grasp, pinch and opposition function of the reconstructed finger were restored, the two-point discrimination sensation was 4 mm-12 mm. Most of the patients had resumed their original works. So that the primary repair of multi-structural defects of hands by composite tissues transplantation was feasible and valuable, but thorough debridement and skilled microsurgecal technique were required.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects and mechanism of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) modified rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in composite tissue allograft rejection. MethodsBMSCs isolated from Brown Norway (BN) rats (aged, 4-6 weeks) were infected by IDO[green fluorescent protein (GFP)]-lentivirus. The high expression target gene and biological activity cell line (IDO-BMSCs) were screened. IDO mRNA and protein expressions were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The biological activity of IDO in supernatant was detected by measuring the amount of kynurenine generation. In mixed lymphocyte reaction system, different numbers of IDO-BMSCs mixed with responding cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolated from 4-6-week-old LEWIS rats, as recipient) and stimulating cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolated from BN rats, as donor), with the cells ratios of 1:5:5, 1:10:10, 1:50:50, and 1:100:100 (as experimental groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Each reaction system was blocked by 1 mmol/L 1-methyl-tryptophan (1-MT) (IDO specific inhibitor). IDO-BMSCs mixed with responding cells (1:5) as the negative control group, responding cells mixed with stimulating cells (1:1) as positive control group; and IDO-BMSCs were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium alone as blank control group. MTT assay was used to detect the T lymphocytes proliferation at 5 days. Furthermore, GFP-BMSCs (group A), IDO-BMSCs (group B), and normal saline (group C) were infused via the tail vein of allogeneic limb transplantation rats, and graft survival time and rejection were observed in each group. ResultsThe IDO expression of BMSCs after genetic modification was higher than that before genetic modification. IDO-BMSCs could significantly improved kynurenine concentration in culture medium supernatant when compared with GFP-BMSCs (P<0.05). Before adding 1-MT, with the ratio of IDO-BMSCs to responding cells decreased, T lymphocytes proliferation rate increased in experimental groups 1, 2, and 3, showing significant differences between groups (P<0.05); there was no significant difference between experimental group 4 and the positive control group (P>0.05). After adding 1-MT, T lymphocytes proliferation rate was significantly higher than that before adding 1-MT in the other experimental groups (P<0.05) except experimental group 4 (P>0.05). In vivo, IDO-BMSCs could promote colonization in allograft, inhibit transplantation rejection, and prolong survival time of composite tissue allograft; the survival time of composite tissue allograft was (11.5±0.6) days in group A, (14.5±0.8) days in group B, and (9.0±0.3) days in group C, and it was significantly longer in group B than in groups A and C, and in group A than in group C (P<0.05). ConclusionIDO-BMSCs can promote the survival of allogeneic composite tissue grafts in rats, and its mechanism may involve in inhibition of T lymphocytes proliferation and promotion their own colonization in allograft.
ObjectiveTo explore a new improved technique and its effectiveness to repair dorsal thumb composite tissue defects including interphalangeal joint by transplantation of modified hallux toe-nail composite tissue flap. MethodsThe hallux toe-nail composite tissue flap carrying distal half hallux proximal phalanx, extensor hallucis longus, and interphalangeal joint capsule were designed and applied to repair the dorsal skin, nails, and interphalangeal joint defect of thumb in 14 cases between January 2007 and June 2013. They were all males, aged from 19 to 52 years (mean, 30 years). The time from injury to hospital was 0.5-2.0 hours (mean, 1.2 hours). The area of the thumb nail and dorsal skin defects ranged from 2.5 cm×1.5 cm to 5.0 cm×2.5 cm. The dorsal interphalangeal joint had different degrees of bone defect, with residual bone and joint capsule at the palm side. The length of bone defect ranged from 2.5 to 4.0 cm (mean, 3.4 cm). The hallux nail flap size ranged from 3.0 cm×2.0 cm to 6.0 cm×3.0 cm. The donor sites were repaired by skin grafting in 5 cases, and retrograde second dorsal metatarsal artery island flap in 9 cases. ResultsAfter operation, arterial crisis occurred in 1 case and the flap survived after relieving pressure; the other flaps survived, and wounds healed by first intention. Liquefaction necrosis of the skin grafting at donor site occurred in 3 cases, and the other skin grafting and all retrograde second dorsal metatarsal artery island flaps survived. The follow-up ranged from 9 months to 3 years and 6 months (mean, 23 months). The secondary plastic operation was performed in 4 cases at 6 months after operation because of slightly bulky composite tissue flaps. The other composite tissue flaps had good appearance, color, and texture. The growth of the nail was good in 12 cases, and slightly thickened in 2 cases. At last follow-up, X-ray examination showed that bone graft and proximal phalanx of the thumb had good bone healing in 12 cases. Good bone healing was obtained at the donor site. According to the Hand Surgical Branch of Chinese Medical Association standard for thumb and finger reconstruction function, the results were excellent in 12 cases and good in 2 cases, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. No pain at donor site was observed, with normal gait. ConclusionTransplantation of modified hallux toe-nail composite tissue flap to repair dorsal thumb composite tissue defects including interphalangeal joint can effectively improve the appearance and function of the impaired thumb.