Objective To summarize the treatment of chronic osteomyel itis of the skull and its effectiveness. Methods Between January 2004 and February 2009, 24 patients with chronic osteomyel itis of skull were diagnosed and treated, including 16 males and 8 females with an average age of 45.6 years (range, 18-56 years). The mean disease duration was 5.8 years (range, 3-11 years). The causes included infection after craniotomy in 3 cases, burn in 15 cases, and electrical injury in 6 cases, and the leision was located at the frontal and parietal of the skull in 10 cases, at the temporal and parietal of skull in 8 cases, and at the occipital of the skull in 6 cases. The soft tissue defects ranged from 7 cm × 6 cm to 19 cm × 12 cm, and the skull defects ranged from 5 cm × 4 cm to 10 cm × 7 cm. After wide thorough debridement of necrotic tissue, soft tissue defects were repaired with adjacent scalp flap in 12 cases, trapezius myocutaneous flap in 6 cases, and free anterolateral thigh flap in 6 cases; the flap size ranged from 8 cm × 7cm to 20 cm × 13 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly or covered with spl itthickness skin. Results All pathological examinations showed pyogenic osteomyel itis of the skull, and local ized squamous carcinoma was found in 1 case. One patient had sub-flap infection at 2 weeks after operation, and heal ing was achieved after surgical removal of residual tissue; the remaining flaps survived, and incision healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 10 months to 4 years with an average of 2 years after operation. The color and texture of the flaps were good. No recurrence of osteomyel itis happened during follow-up. The patient diagnosed as having local ized squamous carcinoma was followed up 4 years without recurrence. At 3 to 6 months after operation, 8 patients had headache or felt dizzy, and the skull was reconstructed by the titanium meshes. Conclusion In patients with chronic osteomyel itis of skull, the infected foci should be cleaned out thoroughly as early as possible, and the skin flap or myocutaneous flap is used to repair the wounds, thus the good results can be achieved.
Objective To investigate the operative method and efficacy of subcutaneous pedicle scar-band rotation flap in the treatment of cervical postburn scar contracture. Methods Between August 2008 and May 2010, 15 patients with cervical postburn scar contracture were treated with subcutaneous pedicle scar-band rotation flaps, including 9 males and 6 females with an average age of 17.3 years (range, 7-35 years). The disease duration was 1-8 years (mean, 3 years). The locations were the left cervical region in 6 cases, the right cervical region in 8 cases, and mental cervical angle region in 1 case. According to LI Ao’s classification standard for cicartrical contracture, there were 12 cases of grade I and 3 cases of grade II. The area of scar ranged from 8 cm × 5 cm to 25 cm × 12 cm. After scar relaxation, wounds were repaired with the subcutaneous pedicle scar-band rotation flaps of 7 cm × 5 cm to 15 cm × 10 cm at size. In 3 cases of grade II, free split thickness skin grafts (7 cm × 4 cm to 12 cm × 7 cm at size) were used simultaneously. Results After 2 weeks of operation, 2 scar-band flaps had distal partial necrosis and healing was achieved after dressing change with formation of hypertrophic scar; the others survived with healing of incisions by first intention. After 6-12 months of follow-up, all patients possessed good cervical contours, sufficient release of scar contractures, and normal cervico-mandicular or mental cervical angles. The skin’s color and texture were satisfactory. There was no recurrence of cervical scar contracture and other complications. All patients acquired normal cervical movement at last follow-up. Conclusion Subcutaneous pedicle scar-band rotation flap is a simple, efficient, and versatile technique in release of cervical postburn scar contracture. It is an effective method to make use of the lateral excess scar flap to resurface defects caused by scar release.