• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2000

The advent of free bone flaps has made successful replacement of extensive areas of bone loss in the upper and lower extremities. The microvascular free bone flaps have faster healing without bony absorption or atrophy and can heal in the hostile environment of scarred bed or infection. Since the fibula free flap introduced by Taylor and colleague in 1975, it has been used extensively for skeletal reconstruction of extremities. In 1988, the folded vascularized fibula free flap was first described as a technique to reconstruct significant long bone defect of upper and lower extremities. During the same time, the fibular free flap has evolved to become most preferred choice of mandibular reconstruction. Up to present day, few reports have been made on the fibular free flap used for reconstruction of injured hand containing metacarpal bone and soft tissue defect. We present here our new and unique experiences with vascularized fibular osteocutaneous free flap as useful and satisfactory one for reconstruction of hand with composite defects.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2000

Vascularized tissue coverage is necessary for treatment of soft tissue defect with bone and tendon exposure on hand and foot dorsum, which cannot be successfully covered with simple skin graft or local flap. The temporal fascia is one of the most ideal donor for coverage of soft tissue defect of dorsum of hand or foot in term of ultra-thin, pliable and highly vascular tissue. Also, this flap offers the advantage of a well-concealed donor site in the hair-bearing scalp and smooth tendon gliding. We have experienced 11 cases of reconstruction for soft tissue defect in the hand or foot using temporal fascial flap with skin graft. All cases survived completely and we could gain satisfactory functional results. There were no specific complications except one donor site alopecia We think that the free temporal fascial flap coverage is a highly reliable method for soft tissue defect in hand and foot dorsum. However, the potential pitfalls is secondary alopecia and requirement of skin graft after its transfer.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2014

Few articles have been written about the flexor tendon sheath ganglion in the finger, especially, between A1 pulley and A2 pulley. We report on rare cases of flexor tendon sheath ganglion with one symptomatic and two asymptomatic. All masses were evaluated using real-time ultrasonography and well-defined anechoic cystic lesions with posterior enhancement were observed. A 17-year-old female had a small mass at the 4th metacarpophalageal joint of her right hand, with pain and triggering. The patient underwent simple excision and a ganglion measuring $1.0{\times}0.8$ cm in size was derived from Camper's chiasm, between A1 pulley and A2 pulley. In two asymptomatic cases, ganglia measuring less than 0.5 cm in size observed. Based on our experience, real-time ultrasonography would be an excellent diagnostic modality in determining the treatment method in flexor tendon sheath ganglia, and surgical excision is recommended in symptomatic, especially triggering patients.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.18-20
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• 2014

Two aged patients who had open tibial fractures with arterial injury caused by high energy accidents underwent emergency arterial reconstruction using a greater saphenous vein and soft tissue repair using free flaps. In the patients, soft tissue necrosis developed and tibias were exposed at postoperative third week. Follow-up angiography through the superficial femoral artery showed occlusion of the anterior tibial artery. The anterior tibial artery was reconstructed using the contralateral greater saphenous vein graft and the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous and rectus abdominis muscle free flaps were transplanted for repair of necrotic soft tissue. The reconstructed arteries showed good perfusion to the new free flaps until union of the tibias occurred. The patients were followed-up for 21 years and 17 years postoperatively, respectively. In management of open comminuted fracture of the tibia, injury of the arterial system must be ruled out by angiography in addition to evaluation of the degree of soft tissue injury.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2014

Purpose: Soft tissue defect on foot and ankle is vulnerable and requires a thin flap for improvement of aesthetic and functional results. Lateral supramalleolar flap is a simple and fast procedure, which can preserve and supply reliable constant blood flow, and causes fewer donor site complications. The authors reviewed our cases and report the clinical results. Materials and Methods: Ten cases of soft tissue defects on the lower leg, around the ankle were treated with lateral supramalleolar flap. There were seven males and three females with a mean age of 54.8 years. The mean size of flaps was $5.9{\times}6.3$ cm and the mean follow-up period was 23 months. Flap survival and postoperative complications were evaluated. Results: Nine flaps survived completely without loss of flap. There was one case of partial wound dehiscence requiring debridement and repair, and another case of necrotic flap change requiring partial bone resection and closure. All patients were capable of weight bearing ambulation at the last follow up. Conclusion: The authors suggest that the lateral supramalleolar flap could be a useful option for treatment of soft tissue defect around the ankle joint.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Purpose: Recent studies have reported on application of fibrin glue composed of fibrinogen and thrombin to nerve anastomosis, which can be another candidate for vessel anastomosis. However, no research regarding the risk and effectiveness of thrombin in microvascular free tissue transfer has been reported. Therefore, the aim of study is to determine the risk and effectiveness of thrombin on microvascular free tissue transfer through clinical cases. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients underwent free flap reconstruction for soft tissue defect or bone exposure in our institute from March 2011 to February 2014. In the group using thrombin, dissolved powder thrombin (5,000 IU/amp) was mixed with 10 mL normal saline. Saline mixed with thrombin was applied on the flap, recipient, and around vessel anastomosis. In the control group, free flap was performed using the same method, except using thrombin. We analyzed the results between the two groups. Results: All flaps survived. The group using thrombin included 14 patients and the control group included 11 patients. Hematoma was found in two cases, respectively, in each group. The group using thrombin showed lower incidence of hematoma than the control group. No difference in survival rate of the flap was observed between the thrombin group and the control group. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that use of saline mixed with thrombin in free tissue transfer may be safe and effective for prevention of hematoma formation in the recipient site.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1995

Frequently, a single muscle flap is not enough to cover a large compound defects after extensive trauma or ablation of tumor. For a extensive defects, several kinds of flaps are available for various needs of reconstruction. The combined latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior flaps provide the largest possible soft tissue coverage. Two flaps composed of latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles are consistently nourished through the subscapular-thoracodorsal vessels and their many branches, and thus the two flaps can be isolated with one vascular pedicled free flap. We experienced 4 cases of reconstruction in closure of extensive compound defects using the combined latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior muscles with one vascular pedicled free flap. The advantages of using these flaps are : 1) its versatlity and excellent malleability 2) easy to dissection 3) long-stalked pedicle 4) the use of a vascularized rib 5) negligible motor dysfunction from the muscle removal.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 1995

Severe upper and lower extremity trauma may result in soft tissue loss with exposed bone and the subsequence of risk of chronic osteomyelitis or malunion of fracture fragments. Such injuries present a major reconstructive problem. But Since the introduction of microsugical technique, free muscle and myocutaneous flaps were employed to provide coverage of severely injured defects. Since Tai and Hasegawa(1974) first reported a breast reconstruction using by rectus abdominis myocuraneous flap, the free rectus myocutaneous flap has been widely employed for breast reconstuction, head and neck reconstruction, and extremity reconstruction in these days. The authors present their successful experience with free rectus abdominis muscle and rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps for upper and low extremity reconstruction. From Nov. 94, to May 95, Five cases of severely injured extremites due to trauma or contact burn were treated with free rectus abdominis muscle flap or free rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap. All flaps except 1 case were survived without severe complications. As free muscle or myocutaneous flap, the free rectus abdominis flap has the advantages of a reliable pedicle, easy dissection, and an acceptable donor site, so it seems logical to apply the free rectus abdominis flap to apply in upper and lower extremity reconstruction.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1995

In certain low-grade malignant bone tumors such as chondrosarcoma or frequent recurrent benign bone tumors as ossifying fibroma, radical treatment may provide a good chance for cure. And large bony defect after the radical treatment can be filled with the massive bone graft. Recent advances in clinical microsurgery have made free vascularized bone graft a clinical reality, and Taylor in 1975, first reported the technique of free vascularized fibula graft for the reconstruction of large tibial defect with excellent clinical results. We tried wide excision and free vascularized fibula graft in 5 patients with ossifying fibroma and one patient with chondrosarcoma from January 1984 to December 1994 and followed for more one year. The shortest bony defect was 7cm and the longest bony defect was 20cm and mean bony defect was 13cm. All patients were evaluated clinically and roentgenographycally on basis of functional recovery and bony union. All patients showed satisfactory functional recovery with sound bony union and showed bony hypertrophy. And, local recurrence was not seen.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 1998

Radial forearm flap is one of the most useful skin flap in hand reconstructuion with distally based reverse pedicled or free vascularized fashion. Athors modified that flap into reverse pedicled and free vascularized flap which has advantages of both methods. The modification composed with harvesting flap on recipient side distal forearm just as free flap, than apply it as reverse distal pedicled flap fashion with microvascular anastomosis with distal vascular stump of donor radial vessels. We underwent this method in 5 cases in finger reconstruction from 1996, all of the cases had sucessful results. The advantages of this method are: 1. Thin flap which is compatible to finger skin can harvest from distal forearm with very long vascular pedicle that can be passed under the subcutaneous tunnel which avoid additional skin incisions on the hand. 2. The vessels of donor site and recipient site are same vessel in effected side of forearm, which can preserve contralateral side forearm and hand keep intact. 3. The flap can cover the defects on distal portion of the fingers which is difficult in conventional reversed radial forearm pedicled flap because of limited mobilization of flap due to limitation of pedicle length reach to tip of the fingers.