• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2010

Emergency free flap has been advocated to cover the severely injured extremity for more than two decades, due to its numerous advantages such as low incidence of flap failure and infection rate and early recovery of function. But there are very few reports about these. The authors report their experience in using the emergency free flap for reconstruction of extremities. For last 10 years, 4 patients ranging from 3 to 27 years old with severely traumatized extremities were treated with emergency free flap transfers. Three were males and the other was a female. Flap size ranged from $2{\times}5\;cm^2$ to $7{\times}22\;cm^2$. The locations of the recipient site were the dorsum of the foot, the cubital fossa, the popliteal fossa and the upper arm. The number of the donor sites used was as follows: one scapular flap, two parascapular flaps, and one radial forearm flap with the radial bone. All of the flaps survived without need of re-exploration. There was no infection or flap loss. Involved joints have recovered a normal range of motion. Therefore, we consider that the emergency free flap is a very safe and reliable method to cover the severely injured extremities.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.531-534
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• 2011

Purpose: The rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap is currently the most commonly used donor site of immediate and delayed breast reconstruction surgery, for its versatility and ease of handling, as well as sufficient blood supply. Despite many advantages of rectus abdominis flap, morbidity of donor site is considered as inevitable shortcoming. The authors recently faced a devastating complication, small bowel obstruction that led to strangulation, after delayed breast reconstruction with free transverses rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap. And we would like to report it, because abdominal pain after TRAM flap is a common symptom and can be overlooked easily. Methods: A 56-year-old female patient who had history of receiving total abdominal hysterectomy 20 years ago underwent delayed breast reconstruction with TRAM flap transfer. She complained abdominal discomfort and pain from third postoperative day, postoperative small bowel obstruction that arose from strangulated bowel and prompt emergency operation was done. Results: After resection of the strangulated bowel and reanastomosis, quickly her symptoms were relieved, and there were no further problems during her hospital stay. 7 days after her emergency operation she was discharged. Conclusion: In patients with previous abdominal surgical history, prolonged ileus can lead to bowel strangulation, so surgeons should always consider the possibility, and must be aware of abdominal symptoms in patients who receive free TRAM flap operations.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.741-745
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• 2015

Background Microvascular complications after free-flap breast reconstructions are potentially devastating problems that can increase patient morbidity and lead to flap loss. To date, no comprehensive study has examined the rates of salvage and the methods of microvascular revision in breast reconstruction. We reviewed the treatment of microvascular complications of free-flap breast reconstruction procedures over a seven-year period. Methods A retrospective review of all patients who underwent microvascular breast reconstruction at our institution between April 2006 and December 2013 was conducted. Based on their surgical records, all patients who required emergency re-exploration were identified, the rate of flap salvage was determined, the factors associated with flap salvage were evaluated, and the causes and methods of revision were reviewed. Results During the review period, 605 breast reconstruction procedures with a free lower abdominal flap were performed. Seventeen of these flaps were compromised by microvascular complications, and three flaps were lost. The overall salvage rate was 82.35%. No significant differences between the salvaged group and the failed group were observed with regard to age, BMI, axillary dissection, number of anastomotic arteries and veins, recipient vessel types, or use of the superficial inferior epigastric vein in the revision operation. Successful salvage of the flap was associated with a shorter time period between recognizing the signs of flap compromise and the take-back operation. Conclusions The salvage rate of compromised lower abdominal flaps was high enough to warrant attempting re-exploration. Immediate intervention after the onset of flap compromise signs is as important as vigilant postoperative monitoring.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-110
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• 2011

Purpose: There have been few case reports regarding treatment plans for long-term, neglected scalp defects and calvarial defects with subdural abscess. The purpose of this case report is to present our experience with a free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap for scalp and calvarial defects and to discuss flap options in comparison with a literature review. Methods: A 60-year-old man who fell down from a four-story-height that resulted in a craniotomy in 1979; he visited our outpatient clinic for a chronic, purulent scalp and calvarial defects with unidentified artificial bone. The artificial bone was removed by a neurosurgeon and reconstructed with a free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap. The deep temporal artery was used as a recipient artery. The postoperative flap status was excellent until the 6th day post-operation when the patient experienced a seizure, and an arterial insufficiency occurred at the flap probably due to an arterial spasm. Emergency exploration with arterial re-anastomosis was performed and the flap status was stabilized. Results: Complete wound healing was achieved after 3 weeks without infectious and systemic postoperative complications. During the 6 month follow-up period, there were no complications. Conclusion: We suggest the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous free flap as a good treatment option for a chronic, purulent, complicated scalp with calvarial defect, as a well as treatment for an acute traumatic defect.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.450-454
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• 2008

Purpose: From May 2000 to January 2008, We experienced the 10 cases of the thenar free flap for the coverage of the large volar soft tissue defect in the finger. Methods: The pedicles of the flap were the superficial palmar artery of radial artery and subcutaneous vein, and we anastomosed them to the digital artery and subcutaneous vein of the finger. Results: The average size of the flaps was $12cm^2$ and it was large enough to cover the entire color soft tissue defect of a phalanx or the defect of the neighbored phalanges. All of donor wounds were closed primarily. Conclusion: The color and skin texture of the flap was matched with the volar skin of the finger functionally and cosmetically and the debulking of the flap was not necessary. Other advantages were constant anatomic pedicle of the flap, minimal donor site morbidity, one operation field. We consider that the thenar free flap is another reliable and useful method for the reconstructing of the large volar defect of the finger especially at the situation of emergency.

• 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 Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.97-101
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• 2020

Although the success rate of deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps has increased, late flap failures still occur and have a low salvage rate. The present article describes a case of salvage of a case of late flap failure using the pedicle vein as a vein graft source. A 50-yearold woman underwent a bilateral DIEP free flap procedure. On postoperative day 6, she experienced flap compromise and underwent emergency flap revision. In the flap revision, flap venous drainage and the superficial inferior epigastric vein were completely obstructed. A Fogarty catheter was used to remove a thrombus from the completely obstructed pedicle vein, and this pedicle vein was used as a graft source and was ligated in retrograde fashion to the flap vein stump. After injection of urokinase into the arterial branch, venous flow to the flap was restored. At a 6-month follow-up visit in the outpatient clinic, only partial fat necrosis at the flap was noted. By dissecting various perforators in the initial operation, decisions regarding immediate revision can be made with more confidence. Additionally, the combined procedures performed in this case may be helpful even for practitioners treating cases of late flap compromise.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.97-99
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• 2016

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2015

High-pressure (HP) injection injury to the upper extremity often causes a very serious clinical problem, leading to poor outcomes, including amputation, so that a true surgical emergency is required. The outcomes can be improved with emergent wide surgical debridement. However the diagnosis of these injuries is often delayed due to underestimated evaluation at first appearance and lack of common knowledge of the seriousness of this injury. The type and pressure of the infecting material is an important factor in prognosis and organic solvents infected pressure injury can cause poor outcome and increased amputation rate. In this case, we report on reconstruction of HP oil-based paint injection injuries of the finger using T-shaped pedicles and multiple venous anastomoses. In this concept, arterial flow can be maintained by the reverse flow of distal anastomosis when there is difficulty with the proximal anastomosis. And venous flow can be preserved by deep and superficial vein anastomosis. This concept has various advantages including preserving patency of the pedicle in chronic vasculopathy or trauma cases and maintaining the arterial flow by the reverse flow of distal anastomosis and can improve the free flap survival by a two vascular anastomosis system.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2011

Recently, the population of patients who refuse transfusion has increased for both religious and non-religious reasons, even in life threatening emergency situations. Their refusal has highlighted the need to develop nonblood transfusion surgery techniques to decrease the risk from blood transfusions. A 57-year woman with an ulcerative lesion on the gingiva of the right upper molar area visited the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery in Dankook University Dental Hospital. After a preliminary evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. As she refused blood transfusion during surgery for religious reasons, surgery was planned using recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) without a blood transfusion. The patient underwent a partial maxillectomy, supraomohyoid neck dissection, free radial forearm flap and split thickness skin graft under general anesthesia. rHuEPO and iron were used before and after surgery. The hemoglobin/hematocrit (Hb/Hct) level, iron (Fe) and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) were assessed. The patient recovered completely without any blood transfusions. rHuEPO is a viable alternative for patients with religious objections to receiving blood transfusions.