• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2005

Perforator flaps have become increasingly popular in microsurgery nowadays and are being used widely for many cases of reconstruction after trauma and cancer ablation. And thoracodorsal perforator based free flap is one of them having the merits of carrying a large skin paddle with leaving intact innervation and function of the remaining latissimus dorsi muscle. We made a homogeneous thin flap excluding the main muscle with a long vascular pedicle and tried to decrease the donor site morbidity. But, it needs a long learning-curve and we have met marginal flap necrosis frequently. Besides, prolonged operation time for complete perforator dissection may be a tedious job to the microsurgeon. To overcome these disadvantages, we usually included very small portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle during this flap elevation around the pedicled 2-3 thoracodorsal perforators during this flap elevation. We performed 3 cases of thoracodorsal perforator based free flap at Hallym university sacred heart hospital between May and August 2005 for the soft tissue defect of the scalp and feet. The average flap size was $8{\times}14\;cm$. Although it is not a true perforator flap, we can get the reliability for the flap survival with much better blood circulation and save the time of one or two hours to dissect the perforators completely. All cutaneous flaps survived completely without any complication except one fatty female who had the very small superficial fat necrosis due to flap bulkiness. We believe the thoracodorsal perforator based free flap can be extended its versatility and reliability by including the very small portion of the muscle around the perforators.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.557-564
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• 2000

The bone graft materials can be grossly divided into autogenous bone, allogenic bone, xenogenic bone, and alloplastic material. Much care was given to other bone graft materials away from autogenous bone due to its additional operation for harvesting, delayed resorption and limitation of quantity. Demineralized freeze-dried bone(DFDB) and hydroxyapatite are the representatives of bone graft materials. As resorbable hydroxyapatite is developed in these days, the disadvantage of nonresorbability can be overcome. So we planned to study on the strength and the bone formation at the rats calvarial defects of DFDB graft and those of the composite graft with DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite. We used the 16 male rats weighting range from 250 to 300 gram bred under the same environment during same period. After we made the 6mm diameter calvarial defect, we filled the DFDB in 8 rats and DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite in another 8 rats. We sacrificed them at the postoperative 1 month and 2 months with the periostium observed. As soon as the specimens were delivered, we measured the compressive forces to break the normal calvarial area and the newly formed bone in calvarial defect area using Instron(Model Autograph $S-2000^{(R)}$, Shimadzu, Japan). The rest of the specimens were stained with H&E(Hematoxylin & Eosin) and evaluated with the light microscope. So we got the following results. 1. In every rats, there was no significant difference between the measured forces of normal bone area and those of the bone graft area. 2. In 1 month, the measured forces at DFDB graft group were higher than those of the DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite composite graft group(P<0.05). 3. In 2 months, there was no significant differences between the measured forces of DFDB graft group and those of the DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite composite graft group. 4. In lightmicroscopic examination, most of the grafted DFDB were transformed into bone in 1 month and a large numbers of hydroxyapatite crystal were observed in DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite composite graft group in 1 month. 5. Both group showed no inflammatory reaction in 1 month. And hydroxyapatite crystals had a tight junction without soft tissue invagination when consolidated with newly formed bone. 6. In both groups, newly formed bone showed the partial bone remodeling and the lamellar bone structures and some of reversal lines were observed in 2 months. From the above results, it is suggested that DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite composite graft group had a better resistance to compressive force in early stage than DFDB graft group, but there would be no significant difference between two groups after some period. And it is suggested that the early stage of bone formation procedure of DFDB and resorbable hydroxyapatite composite graft group was slight slower than that of DFDB graft group, but there would be no significant difference between two groups after some period.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.627-635
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• 2011

Purpose: Advanced breast cancer traditionally has been perceived as a contraindication to immediate breast reconstruction, because of concerns regarding adjuvant treatment delays and the cosmetic effects of radiotherapy to breast reconstruction, so delayed reconstruction is usually preferred in advanced breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy. However, with the improved outcome using multimodality therapy, consisting of perioperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, immediate breast reconstruction is now being performed as surgical option for selected advanced breast cancer patients. Additionally, advanced breast cancer patients may be needed soft tissue coverage of an extensive skin and soft tussue defect after mastectomy. Current authors have experienced several types of immediate breast and chest wall reconstruction for advanced breast cancer. Methods: From December of 2007 to June of 2009, 14 women performed for immediate breast and chest wall reconstruction for advanced breast cancer. They had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy followed by modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy. Four different techniques were used immediate breast and chest wall reconstruction, which are pedicled TRAM flap (4 cases), extended LD flap with STSG (3 cases), thoracoabdominal flap (4 cases) and thoracoepigastric flap (3 cases). Results: The mean age was 53 years and mean follow up period was 9 months. Patients' oncologic status ranged stage IIIa to stage IV. Two patients had major complications: partial flap necrosis of TRAM flap and one distal necrosis of thoracoabdominal flap. Three patients with stage IV disease died from metastases. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that immediate breast and chest wall reconstruction can be considered as surgical option for advanced breast cancer. But we need long term follow up and large prospective studies for recurrence and survival.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.577-582
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• 2010

Purpose: When reconstruction for patients who have the large contralateral breast or a following large defect after mastectomy is required, conventional pedicled TRAM flap shows the unpredictable occurrence of fat necrosis and skin flap loss in a relatively high percentage due to insufficient blood supply. In an effort to obtain more stable TRAM flap blood circulation, we have performed a supercharged technique using deep inferior epigastric perforators (DIEP) with conventional pedicled TRAM flap. Methods: From September of 2006 to December of 2008, Fourteen supercharged TRAM flap were performed for breast reconstruction after modified radical mastectomy. The contralateral DIEP was anastomosed to the internal mammary vessels in contralateral pedicled TRAM flap or thoracodorsal vessels in ipsilateral pedicled TRAM flap. Nutrient vessels were selected by Multi-Detector Computed tomography (MD-CT) modalities. For the nutrient vessel, we used deep inferior epigastric vessels (DIEV) of the ipsilateral side in 8 patients, DIEV of the contralateral side in 6 patients. In addition, for the recipient vessel, we used thoracodorsal vessels in 8 patients, internal mammary vessels in 5 patients, intercostals artery perforators in 1 patient. Results: The mean age was 46.8 years and the average follow-up interval was 14 months. There were 11 immediate and 3 delayed breast reconstructions. Fat necrosis incidence rate in supercharged TRAM group was lower than in conventional TRAM flap group. There were no differences of the incidences of abdominal hernia in both groups. Conclusion: The supercharged TRAM flap produces an improvement in vascularity that permits use of all four zones of the flap. The breast reconstruction with supercharged technique is reliable and valuable methods which provide sufficient soft tissue from abdomen without significant complications.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 1994

The heel, with its specialized fat for shock absorption at heel strike and large surface area for balance and weight bearing, is a important component of normal ambulation. Despite of distinguished improvement in the field of microsurgical free flaps, the choice of reconstruction of the heel has been remained controversial. We reviewed 22 cases of the heel reconstruction using vascularized free flaps from January, 1980 through May, 1993 at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of Korea University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1. The etiology was traumatic in 21 cases, and chronic ulceration due to burn in 1. 2. The arteries used in free flaps were 11 dorsalis pedis arteries, 2 deep circumflex iliac arteries, 2 supeficial iliac arteries, 2 branches of lateral femoral circumflex iliac arteries, 2 radial arteries, and 3 thorcodorsal arteries. 3. The mean size of the vascularized bone was $4.5cm{\times}3.5cm$, and that of skin flap was $12.1cm{\times}9.2cm$. 4. Of the 22 cases, 19 had a successful outcome and 3 in failure, the causes of failure were thrombosis and infection.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.226-237
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• 2005

Purpose : Extensive defect of oral and maxillofacial area is usually reconstructed with composite flap including skin paddle. However, if the defects are lined with only skin components, the mucosa's role in mastication and texture are not restored. Furthermore, stiffness and hair-growing prevent denture rehabilitation and good oral hygiene. This study was performed to overcome the disadvantages of composite soft tissue flaps including the skin and to make a model for myo-mucosal flaps. Materials and methods : Buccal mucosa sized $0.5\times1.0\;cm^2$ from New Zealand rabbit (around 1.5kg) was harvested and cultivated by the modification of Rheinwald and Green's keratinocyte culture method. Cultured mucosa was grafted on the fascia of latismus dorsi as form of mucosal sheet. After 7, 10, 14 days, the myomucosal flap was excised and evaluated under light microscope with H & E and immunohistochemical staining. As control group, harvested buccal mucosa from rabbit was transplanted to gracilis muscle(n=6). Results : From 7 days after prelamination, the basal layer of the grafted mucosa resembled that of normal mucosa. As control group, transplanted mucosa had original shape but there's slight inflammatory reaction. Prelaminated mucosa has 19.8$\pm$4.59 cell layers and some samples have more than 20 layers. The expression rate of PCNA was relatively strong (42.9%$\pm$14.1) at the basal layer of grafted mucosa and the laminin was found at the basal layer. On the contrary, prelaminated mucosa at 10 days showed moderate expression rate of PCNA(32.4%$\pm$4.62). We found the mucosal layer was somehow disappeared and there is strong inflammatory reaction. After 14 days prelamination, the grafted oral keratinocytes were almost disappeared and expression of PCNA was not observed. Conclusion : We can make 75 fold large mucosal($3850mm^2$) sheet from small samples of mucosa $(50mm^2)$. Epithelial sheet that grafted on the fascia of muscle underwent differentiation and proliferation. But after 10, 14 days, there was strong inflammatory reaction and the grafted mucosa was destroyed from surface layer. In rabbit model, transfer of fascio-mucosal flap should be done from 7 to 10 days after prelamination.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.206-213
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• 1994

We studied 90 patients(179 femoral heads) with avascular necrosis of femoral head, who had been performed X-ray, bone scan and MRI to compare of the findings of AVN on bone scan between each other, retrospectively. The patients were 82 males and 9 females, their mean age was 45 years. Radiographic stages were classified by Steinberg modification, radionuclide stages were classified as followed; stage o(or type 0) : normal, stage 1 : faint ring like uptake around the femoral head, stage 2: intense ring like uptake, stage 3: irregular increased uptake with central photon defect, stage 4 : Intense diffuse increased uptake at femoral head and stage 5 : hip joint deformity with relatively mild increased uptake. The findings of MRI were classified according to extent, location, early or advanced lesion, signal intensity of the lesion and joint effusion. 156(87%) of 179 femoral heads had avascular necrosis, 68(75.5%) of 90 patients had bilateral AVN, 35 femoral heads had early stage and 120 had advanced stage. The detection rate of AVN by X-ray and bone scan were 85% (134), 91.6% (143), respectively. Early AVN with atypical types of bone scan showed larger extent, moderate to large amount of joint effusion, soft tissue hypertrophy within joint, and secondary degenerative changes. Bone scan had relatively high detection rate in the diagnosis of AVN of femoral head, and demonstrated various types depending on the disease stage.