Objective To explore the effectiveness of the improved pedicled superficial iliac circumflex artery flap for repairing serious wound of the hand and forearm. Methods Between June 2008 and June 2011, 13 cases of serious wound of the hand and forearm were treated. There were 9 males and 4 females with a mean age of 41 years (range, 23-64 years). The disease causes included twist injury by machine in 2 cases, wire rope squeezed injury in 4 cases, traffic accident injury in 3 cases, crushing injury in 2 cases, high voltage electrical injury in 1 case, and snake bites in 1 case. There were 10 cases of fresh wounds and 3 cases of infection and necrosis wounds, and all had bone and tendon exposure. The skin and soft tissue defects ranged from 7 cm × 3 cm to 22 cm × 6 cm. The pedicled iliac artery flap was used in 8 cases, and pedicled iliac artery composite flap in 5 cases. The flap size ranged from 12 cm × 4 cm to 27 cm × 8 cm, with the flap pedicle of 2-4 cm wide strip and 3-5 cm wide fascia. Results The pedicle of flap was cut at 3 weeks in 12 patients, and at 4 weeks in 1 patient who had partial avulsion and hemorrhage at 1 week after operation. All flaps survived and incisions at donors and wounds healed by first intention. Eleven patients were followed up 6-36 months (mean, 20 months). The flap color and texture were good; 3 bulky flaps were observed, and satisfactory appearance was achieved after skin flap thinning. After 6 months, the protective sensation recovered in all cases; according to the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association evaluation of upper extremity function trial standard for total active motion of the fingers, the results were excellent in 9 cases, good in 1 case, and poor in 1 case. Conclusion Improved fascia pedicled superficial iliac circumflex artery skin flap can repair serious hand and forearm injury, which is easy-to-operate and less injury at donor site.
Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of rapamycin and deferoxamin on wound healing after ischemia and hypoxia. Methods The model of ischemia and hypoxia wound was made on the back of 40 SPF male adult Sprague Dawley rats, weight (300±20) g; they were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10): the control group (group A), deferoxamine intervention group (group B), rapamycin intervention group (group C), and deferoxamine+rapamycin intervention group (group D). At 3, 6, and 9 days after model preparation, rats of groups A, B, C, and D were intra-peritoneally injected with normal saline, deferoxamin (10 mg/kg), rapamycin (3 mg/kg), deferoxamin (10 mg/kg)+rapamycin (3 mg/kg) respectively. The wound healing was observed and the healing time was recorded in each group; the wound healing tissue was harvested to test the mRNA and protein expressions of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot at 2 days after wound healing. Results All rats survived to the end of the experiment, and wounds healed; the healing time of groups A, B, and D was significantly shorter than that of group C (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups A, B, and D (P>0.05). Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the expression of mTOR mRNA in groups C and D was significantly decreased when compared with the expressions in groups A and B (P<0.05); there was significant difference between groups A and B (P<0.05), but no significant difference between groups C and D (P>0.05). The expressions of HIF-1α mRNA and VEGF mRNA were signi-ficantly higher in groups B and D than groups A and C, and in group A than group C (P<0.05), but there was no signifi-cant difference between groups B and D (P>0.05). Western blot showed that the relative expressions of mTOR protein in groups C and D were significantly decreased when compared with the expressions in groups A and B (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups C and D (P>0.05). The relative expressions of HIF-1α protein in groups A, B, and C were significantly increased when compared with expression in group D (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups A, B, and C (P>0.05). The relative expression of VEGF protein were significantly lower in groups B, C, and D than group A, in group D than groups B and C, and in group C than group B (P<0.05). Conclusion Defe-roxamin can promote the wound healing of rats after ischemia and hypoxia, and the effect of rapamycin is opposite. It may be related to the existence of mTOR and HIF-1 signaling pathway in chronic ischemia-hypoxia wound.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of repairing temporal skin and soft tissue defects and reconstructing sideburns with superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap.MethodsBetween January 2018 and January 2019, 12 patients with temporal tumors were treated. There were 5 males and 7 females with an average age of 51 years (range, 37-68 years). There were 8 cases of basal cell carcinoma and 4 cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The disease duration ranged from 3 months to 4 years (mean, 13 months). The area of residual wound after tumor resection was 3.8 cm×2.5 cm-5.2 cm×3.5 cm. The superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap was designed. The hairy superficial temporal artery frontal branch perforator flap was used to repair the hair growing area and reconstruct the sideburn; and the area of the flap was 2.5 cm×1.0 cm-4.2 cm×3.0 cm. And the superficial temporal artery descending branch perforator flap without hair was used to repair the hair-free area; and the area of the flap was 2.5 cm×1.5 cm-7.5 cm×4.0 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly.ResultsAll flaps survived, and the incisions at the donor and recipient sites healed by first intention. Eleven patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 9 months). The incisions were not obvious. The flaps were flat and the color of the flaps were not significantly different from the surrounding skin. The reconstructed sideburns were consistent with the healthy side and the facial appearance was satisfactory. No local tumor recurred during follow-up.ConclusionFor the temporal skin and soft tissue defects involving the sideburn, the superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap can be used to repair subunits with different aesthetic characteristics in sections and has the advantages of operating simply, obtaining satisfied facial appearance, and little effect on the donor site.
Objective To investigate the efficacy of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) combined with topical oxygen therapy for deep II degree burn wounds, by comparing the effects of bFGF combined with topical oxygen therapy and bFGF with routine therapy. Methods From February 2004 to July 2009, 85 patients with deep II degree burn wounds (117 wounds) were enrolled and divided into 4 groups randomly according to different treatments. There was no significant difference in sex, age, disease course, wound size, and wound treatment size among 4 groups (P gt; 0.05). In group A, 18 patients (28 wounds) were treated routinely; in group B, 23 patients (30 wounds) were treated with routine methods and topical oxygen therapy; in group C, 19 patients (25 wounds) were treated with routine methods and bFGF therapy; and in group D, 25 patients (34 wounds) were treated with routine methods and bFGF/topical oxygen therapy. Topical oxygen therapy was administered to the wound for 90 minutes per day for 3 weeks. The bFGF therapy was appl ied everyday (150 U/ cm2) for 3 weeks. Results All cases were followed up 6-12 months (9 months on average). The wound heal ing times in groups A, B, C, and D were (27.3 ± 6.6), (24.2 ± 5.8), (22.2 ± 6.8), and (18.2 ± 4.8) days, respectively; showing significant difference between group A and group D (P lt; 0.05). The wound heal ing rates in groups A, B, C, and Dwere 67.8% ± 12.1%, 85.1% ± 7.5%, 89.2% ± 8.3%, and 96.1% ± 5.6%, respectively; showing significant differences between group A and groups B, C, D (P lt; 0.05). The therapic effective rates in groups A, B, C, and D were 75%, 90%, 92%, and 100%, respectively; showing significant difference between group A and group D (P lt; 0.05). The Vancouver scar scale scoring of group D 6 months after treatment was better than that of group A (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The bFGF combined with topical oxygen therapy can enhance deep II degree burn wound heal ing. Furthermore, the therapy method is simple and convenient.