• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.33-37
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• 2013

Purpose: The concept and development of perforator free flaps have led to significant advances in microsurgery. Ongoing developments in perforator free flap surgery are aimed at reducing complications and improving surgical outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and application of supermicrosurgery in free flap surgery. Materials and Methods: A total of 267 patients with soft tissue defects of the lower extremity due to various etiologies from January, 2007 to January, 2013. The patients received either an anterolateral thigh free flap (n=83), a superficial circumflex iliac artery free flap (n=152), an upper medial thigh free flap (n=19), or a superior gluteal artery perforator free flap (n=13). Microanastomosis was performed using a perforator-to-perforator technique, either end-to-end or end-to-side. Results: The mean postoperative follow up period was eight months (range: one to 16 months) and flap loss occurred in 11 cases out of 267. All cases of flap loss occurred within two weeks of surgery due to either arterial insufficiency (n=5) or venous congestion (n=6). Conclusion: Supermicrosurgery enables the selection of the most efficient perforator for microanastomosis at the defect site. It also reduces the time required for dissection of recipient vessels, and reduces the possibility of injury to major vessels. Microsurgery using a vessel of less than 1 mm has been reported to increase the risk of flap failure; however, using the most advanced surgical tools and developing experience in the technique can produce success rates similar to those found in the literature.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제19권1호
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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.

• 대한족부족관절학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.59-65
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• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the results of anterolateral thigh perforator free flap for reconstruction of foot and ankle in old diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: Fifteen diabetic foot ulcer patients over the age of 55 were operated with anterolateral thigh perforator free flap. Hematological, hemodynamic, diabetic, bacteriologic and radiologic tests were checked with examination of blood vessel state in both the donor site and the recipient site. After surgery, serial check-up was performed at 6 week, 6 month, and 1 year postoperatively on the survival of transplantation tissue, condition of foot, and condition of walking. Results: There are one case of transplantation failure and four cases of partial tissue-necrosis. Delayed wound-healing was observed both recipient and donor tissue sites. At the final follow up, three cases of small ulcer were found at junction of flap and recipient tissue in plantar area. Fourteen out of fifteen patients could walk without any brace or walking aids. Conclusion: Reconstruction of foot and ankle region in old diabetic patients with the anterolateral thigh perforator free flap is a useful method which can prevent the amputation of foot and ankle.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제47권1호
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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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• 제32권4호
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• pp.435-440
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• 2005

The reconstruction of deep soft tissue defects of lower extremities combined with bone exposure has been difficult problems. When it is impossible to raise local skin flap, we have been usually used the gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap, cross leg flap or free flaps. However, In musculocutaneous flap, aesthetical appearance of the calf is not appropriate because of too bulky flap. Although the success rate of the free flap has improved, still failure of flap occurs in cases of the chronic ischemic state. As the concepts of perforator flap has recently developed and widely used due to its thin flap thickness. Between January 2002 to December 2004, we treated 7 patients with soft tissue defect in leg with chronic ischemic limbs with perforator island flap. Preoperative angiography were done in all case and we used 2 medial sural perforator flaps, 1 anterior tibial artery perforator flap, 1 posterior tibial artery perforator flap, 3 anterolateral thigh perforator flap. Partial necrosis of flap was seen in one patient but no further surgical procedure was required for wound healed spontaneously. Perforator island flaps are thin, reduce donor site morbidity, conceal donor site with primary closure and it is useful for resurfacing soft tissue defect of lower extremities.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.89-95
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of anterolateral thigh free flap on soft tissue defect following wide excision in malignant soft tissue tumor of lower extremities. Methods: Between February 2005 to April 2010, we followed up 19 cases who were undergoing anterolateral thigh free flap because of soft tissue defect following wide excision of malignant soft tissue tumor in lower extremity, including 9 cases were heel, 5 cases in foot, 3 cases in ankle, 2 cases in knee and leg. We observed that of implanted area's color, peripheral circulation at 3, 5, 7 days after operation and evaluated operating time, amount of hemorrhage, implanted skin necrosis, additional operations, complications. And we also evaluated the oncologic results, including local recurrence, metastasis, and morbidity. Results: Average operation time of wide excision and anterolateral thigh free flap was 7 hour 28 minutes. 18(94.7%) of total 19 cases showed successful engraftment, on the other hand, failure of engraftment due to complete necrosis of flap in 1 case. In 18 cases with successful engraftment, reoperation was performed in 4 cases. Among them, removal of hematoma and engraftment of flap after bleeding control was performed in 3 cases, because of insufficient circulation due to the hematoma. In the remaining 1 case, graft necrosis due to flap infection was checked, and grafted after combination of wound debridement and conservative treatment such as antibiotics therapy, also skin graft was performed at debrided skin defect area. Skin color change was mainly due to congestion with hematoma, flap was not observed global congestion or necrosis except 4 cases which shows partial necrosis on margin that treated with conservative therapy. Conclusions: Anterolateral thigh free flap could be recommended for reconstruction of soft tissue defect following wide excision of malignant soft tissue tumor in lower extremity.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2000

Background and Objectives: Various flaps are using for reconstruction of hypopharyngeal and esophageal defect. However, complication and indication of each flap are not fully analyzed. Patient and Methods: Records of 52 hypopharyngeal cancer patients who had surgical treatment and 13 other head and neck cancer patients who underwent hypopharyngeal and/or esophageal reconstruction with flap were retrospectively analyzed. Eighty three percent(54 cases) of patients needed reconstruction other than primary pharyngeal closure. Five split thickness skin graft, 1 pectoralis major myocutaneous flap, 20 forearm free flap, 13 jejunal free flap, 15 gastric pull up were used. Result: Flap failure was noted in 2 cases who had subsequent gastric transposition. Wound dehiscence and fistula were most common problem of forearm free flap. Most fistulas were developed in patients with conduit type reconstruction of forearm flap while there wasn't any fistula in patient with patch type reconstruction. Stenosis of lower anastomosis was the frequent problem of jejunal transfer. Gastric pull-up has frequent com-plication of stomal stenosis. All but three patients had reached oral feeding postoperatively. Conclusion: Based on this study, forearm flap is effective in partial hypopharyngeal defect while jejunum is the choice for circumferential defect. Gastric pull-up is for combined esophageal defect.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제25권11호
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• pp.1225-1230
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• 1992

Reconstructive surgical procedures for hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal defects have still a lot of technical defficulties and varieties to be performed as a optimal treatment according to the clinical situation patient faced. We have experienced a case of successful reconstruction of cervical esophageal defect, which was resulted from graft failure of free jejunal transfer in 43 year old male with eso-phagocutaneous fistula, using free fasciocutaneous dorsalis pedis flap. This article describes the review of our case and literature relevant the reconstructive maneuvers of cervical esophageal defects.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제36권5호
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• pp.583-590
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• 2009

Purpose: In the cases of a vascular compromised condition in an injured lower extremity, soft tissue coverage with free tissue transfer presents a challenging problem to the reconstructive surgeon. For this reason, cross - leg flaps are still used in unusual circumstances. Advances in surgical technique has made the cross - leg free flap possible although it may require long operation time along with significant donor site morbidity. Therefore, a pedicled cross - leg muscle flap may be an alternative treatment modality when local flap or free flap is not possible. Methods: Twelve patients(9 males and 3 females) underwent the operation between October of 2001 and December of 2008. The patients' age ranged from 6 to 82 years. The unusual defects included the regions such as the knee, popliteal fossa, distal third of the tibia, dorsal foot, and the heel. Indications for the cross - leg gastrocnemius flap are inadequate recipient vessels for free flap(in eight cases), extensive soft tissue injuries(in three cases) and free flap failure(in one case). The muscle flap was elevated from contralateral leg and transferred to the soft tissue defect on the lower leg while both legs were immobilized with two connected external fixator systems. Delay procedure was performed 2 weeks postoperatively, and detachment was done after the establishment of the adequate circulation. The average period from the initial flap surgery to detachment was 32 days (3 to 6 weeks). Mean follow - up period was 4 years. Results: Stable coverage was achieved in all twelve patients without any flap complications. Donor site had minimal scarring without any functional and cosmetic problems. No severe complications such as deep vein thrombosis or flap necrosis were noted although mild to moderate contracture of the knee and ankle joint developed due to external fixation requiring 3 to 4 weeks of physical treatment. All patients were able to walk without crutches 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Although pedicled cross - leg flaps may not substitute free flap surgery, it may be an alternative method of treatment when free flap is not feasible. Using this modification of the gastrocnemius flap we managed to close successfully soft tissue defects in twelve patients without using free tissue transfers.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.408-411
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• 2013

After radical excision of a tumor in the maxillofacial area, functional and esthetic reconstruction is needed, including flap surgery. Among the many etiologies of flap failure, venous thrombosis is one of the most frequent. Heparin is used routinely in the effort to avoid development of venous thrombosis. In rare cases, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) type II occurs due to exposure to heparin. Heparin attached to platelet factor 4 forms a PF4/heparin-immunoglobulin G immune complex on platelet surfaces. This complex activates platelets, which leads to multiple coagulation in venous and arterial blood. We report here on a rare occurrence of HIT type II following fibula free flap surgery.