In order to preserve the major vessels of the extremities in the repair and reconstruction of wounds of the extremities, the distally based fascial pedicled island flap was applied clinically. Its axis and rotatary point were designed along orientation of the major arteries, and the blood supply was from the abundant vascular networks in the deep fascia. Twenty-two cases with exposure of tendon and bone including 10 upper limbs and 12 lower limbs were treated. The flap area of forearm ranged from 7 cm x 8 cm to 12 cm x 9 cm and the ratio of the length to width of the pedicle was 1: 1-2. The flap area of the calf ranged from 10 cm x 6 cm to 16.5 cm x 12 cm and the ratio of the length to width of the pedicle was 2:1. The rotatary angle was 130 degrees-170 degrees. After operation, 18 flaps were survived completely, 2 cases had partial necrosis on the margin, 2 failures received cross-leg flap in the second operation. The patients were followed up with an average of 13.5 months (ranged from 3 months to 2 years). The conclusions were as follows: 1. the blood supply of this type of flap was reliable and the major arteries of the extremities needed not to be sacrificed; 2. the preparation of the flap was easy and the survival rate was satisfactory; 3. the shortcomings of this flap were unsightly incision scar and the limited size of flap and; 4. during the operation, the compression of the pedicle must be avoided.
OBJECTIVE: To provide an anatomical basis for the clinical applications of the medial fascinocutaneous flap of calf and to verify its clinical value. METHODS: In 20 lower limb specimens of adult human cadavers, the number, course, size, position and distribution of septocutaneous branches of the posterior tibial vessels are marked by means of red latex and black ink irrigations through femur artery and septocutaneous branches of the posterior tibial artery respectively. RESULTS: The posterior tibial artery gives off several septocutaneous branches at the upper, middle and lower one-third of the leg respectively. Each septocutaneous artery has one or sometimes two concomitant veins. Based on this result, anterograde or reverse pedicled fasciocutaneous flap can be performed for the purpose of repairing soft tissue defects of leg and foot. The flap was clinically applied to treat leg and foot soft tissue defects in 12 cases with satisfactory results. CONCLUSION: The flap is easy to dissect, the posterior tibial artery can be preserved with high successful rate. Therefore, it offers an useful alternative in the repairing and reconstruction of nonextensive soft tissue defects in the leg and foot.
OBJECTIVE In order to increase the survival area of pedicled fasciocutaneous flap, a multiple pedicled blocking randomized fasciocutaneous flap was designed. METHODS From January 1991 to September 1998, this technique was used to repair 33 cases, including 27 males and 6 females and the ages ranged from 6 to 58 years. All of the patients were suffered from traffic accidents. In these cases, 22 cases had skin defects of legs and feet with bone, nerve and tendon exposed, 5 cases had osteomyelitis as well as internal fixaters exposed and the other 6 had deformity from scar. The size of the flap was 25.0 cm x 13.0 cm x 2.4 cm at its maximum and 6.0 cm x 3.5 cm x 1.5 cm at its minimum. Based on the traditional blocking flap, according to the severity of the wound and conditions of the neighboring tissues, a flap having 2 to 4 orthogonal pedicles with a width of 1.5 to 3.0 cm was designed. The medical-graded stainless steel sheet was implanted below the deep fascia, and after blocking for 3 to 6 days, the side pedicles were divided. 6 to 14 days later, one of the two remaining pedicles was divided and was transferred to repair the defect. RESULTS 31 cases were followed up for 6 months to 5 years without any trouble of the joints. The flap had a good external appearance and was high pressure-resistant. CONCLUSION The multiple pedicled blocking randomized fasciocutaneous flap increased the size of the flap and the length to width ratio. It had the following advantages: manage at will, high resistance to infection and a large survival area of flap.
Objective To investigate the application of arm medial fascio-cutaneous flap pedicled with cutaneous nerve and nutrient vessel. Methods From February 1999 to December 2004, 18 cases of skin and soft tissue defect in axillary region, elbow and forearm were treated with arm medial fascio-cutaneous flap pedicled with cutaneous nerve and nutrient vessel. Arm medial fascio-cutaneous flap was directly transferred in 3 cases, adversely transferred in 15 cases. The flap area was 4.5 cm×8.5 cm. Results Vein circulation crisis was observed in 3 cases. Of the3 cases, 1 was necrosis and the other 2 by decompressing small vein were saved.The rest 15 cases survived.The period of follow-up was 3 to 30 months. Flap was satisfactory in appearance and function. Conclusion Arm medial fascio-cutaneous flap pedicled withcutaneous nerve and nutrient vessels can be directly or adversely transferred to repair adjacent soft tissue defect.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the repairing method of inguinal scar contracture deformity in children with transpositional fasciocutaneous flap of anterior-medial side of thigh. METHODS: From August 1989 to August 1999, 33 cases with inguinal scar contracture deformity were adopted in this study. Among them, there were 26 males and 7 females, aged from 3 to 11 years old. The transpositional fasciocutaneous flap consisted of a huge tongue-shape flap with a pedicled triangular flap between the edge of skin defect and the above tongue-shape flap. The maximal size of the transpositional fasciocutaneous flap was 18 cm x 10 cm and the minimal size was 13 cm x 8 cm, the transpositional angle was 60 degrees to 80 degrees. During operation, the tongue-shape flap was used to repair the inguinal region and the triangular flap was used to repair the donor site in one stage. RESULTS: All the flaps survived. The function and appearance of perineum were satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The transpositional fasciocutaneous flap is suitable for repairing the inguinal scar contracture deformity in children, and skin graft is unnecessary.
Objective To find a better method of emergency repair of skin and soft tissue defects in the lower leg, ankle and foot. Methods The distally based superficial sural artery flap was designed on the posterior aspect of the leg. From February 2000 to December 2003, 18 patients with skin and soft tissue detects of the lower leg, ankle and foot were treated with island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery by emergency. The size of the flap ranged form 4 cm× 5 cm to 11 cm×12 cm. Results The flaps survived totally in 16 cases and necrosed partially in 2 cases. After 1-2 year postoperative follow-up, the results were satisfactory except that in 2 flaps. Conclusion The island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery may provide a useful method for emergency repair of soft tissue defect of the lower limbs.
The ultra length and width random calf fasciocutaneous flaps whose blood supply came from the calf fasciocutaneous vascular network were transposed in 9 cases for the treatment of severe trauma of leg. All of the flaps survived except one having necrosis of the distal fourth. The length and width of the flap to the width of the pedicle were 6.1∶1 and 2.7∶1 respectively. Properly extended the area and decreased of blood perfusion of the flan would reduce the burden of the venous backflow to the flap relatively. The abundant vascular networks of the calf fasciocutaneous flap was a very important factor that this type of flap would possibly survive.
OBJECTIVE To research the result of defect repairing on heel with island-shaped fascial flap of lateral foot. METHODS: Twelve cases of soft tissue defected on heel, who were resulted from trauma, chronic ulcer, chronic osteomyelitis, squamous carcinoma, and necrosis following frozen injury, were treated by transfer of island-shaped fasical flap of lateral foot. RESULTS Only 2 patients suffered marginal necrosis of flap in early stage and healed after changing dressing. The others succeeded completely. All the cases were followed up for 8 to 78 months. There was no recurrence of squamous carcinoma, no fistula or necrosis bone formed. The sensation of the flap recovered. The repaired area was similar to the heel in skin texture. CONCLUSION For the characteristics of heel skin, the transfer of island-shaped fascial flap of lateral foot has the following advantages: Similar structure of skin, reliable nerve and blood supply, simple operative techniques, and large area of donor flap.