• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.835-838
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• 2010

Purpose: Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the distal lower leg, especially in the distal third, largely depends on free tissue transfer and local fasciocutaneous flaps. But several local muscle flaps have also been proposed as useful alternative reconstructive manner. In this report, the authors present the successful use of the flexor digitorum longus muscle flaps in the distal lower leg reconstruction. Methods: Case 1: An 81-year-old woman with a dog bite wound in the left distal lower leg was admitted. She had a $10{\times}8\;cm$ wound with tibial exposure along the medial aspect of the leg. Soft tissue reconstruction with a flexor digitorum longus muscle flap and a split-thickness skin graft was performed. Case 2: A 77-year-old woman had a squamous cell carcinoma in the right distal lower leg. After wide excision, a $5{\times}4\;cm$ wound was developed with exposure of the tibia. The flexor digitorum longus muscle flap was transposed and covered with a split-thickness skin graft. Results: The flexor digitorum longus muscle flaps were shown to be useful to cover tibial defects in the distal lower leg. During the follow-up period, no significant donor site morbidity was found. Conclusion: The flexor digitorum longus muscle flap can be used to cover the exposed distal tibia, especially when a free tissue transfer is not an option. The relative ease of dissection and minimal functional deficits were the major advantages of this flap, while the extent of reach into the lower third has a limitation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2006

Breast reconstruction provides dramatic improvement for patients with severe deformity. The reconstruction not only restores aesthetically acceptable breast for patients with mastectomy deformity but also recovers psychological trauma of 'losing feminity' after the cancer mastectomy. There are many options for breast reconstruction from simple prosthetic insertion to a flap operation using autologous abdominal tissue. The choice of operation method depends on the physical condition of the patient, smoking habits, and economic status. Among the many options, the method that uses the lower abdominal tissue is known as the TRAM (transverse rectus abdonimis myocutaneous) flap. Since the introduction of the TRAM flap in 1982 by Hartrampf, the art of breast reconstruction using lower abdominal tissue has been progressively refined to pedicle flap, muscle-sparinga TRAM flap, and recently there have been exciting and revolutionary changes associated with the adoption of the concept of perforator flap. This refined method of breast reconstruction utilizes lower abdominal tissue nourished by the deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP). With the DIEP free flap, almost all of the rectus muscle and anterior rectus sheath are preserved and the donor morbidity is minimized. Different from previous flap methods using lower abdominal tissue, DIEP free flap method preserves function of the rectus muscle completely. 1) Understanding the entire progression of breast reconstruction methods using lower abdominal tissue is necessary for plastic surgeons; the understanding of each step of the exciting progression and the review of the past history of the TRAM flap may provide insight for future development.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.178-182
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• 2022

Postoperative temporal hollowing is a common complication of craniotomy. Damage and repositioning of the temporalis muscle can lead to a depression in the temporal side of the skull with inferior bulging, worsening aesthetic outcomes. We report a case of cranioplasty with three-dimensional (3D) printed mesh involving an additional correction using a temporalis muscle sling to help address this problem. A 3D-printed bioabsorbable mesh was prepared based on preoperative facial computed tomography, and was fixed to the hollowed area for tissue augmentation. The temporalis muscle was elevated and fanned out to its original position, and a sling was attached to a screw that was fixed to the mesh. For reinforcement, an additional sling was attached to another screw fixed to the mesh 2-3 cm vertically above the first screw. Aesthetic results were confirmed immediately after surgery and later during outpatient follow-up. Both depression and lateral bulging were resolved, and there was no delayed drooping of the temporalis muscle on 6-month follow-up. There were no complications, and the patient was satisfied with the appearance. This is a simple yet effective technique with a low risk of complications, and should be considered for postoperative temporal hollowing patients, especially those with severe lateral bulging.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.571-576
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• 2010

Purpose: Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the foot often requires free-flap transfer. Free muscle flap transfer and skin grafts on the muscle has been an option for these defects. Here we present our experiences of foot reconstruction using an endoscopy-assisted free muscle flap harvest. Methods: Using endoscopy-assisted free muscle flap harvests, four patients with soft tissue defects of the foot were treated with a free muscle flap and skin graft. The gracilis muscle was used for two patients and the rectus abdominis muscle for two. A single small transverse skin incision was placed on the lower abdomen for the rectus abdominis muscle. A small transverse skin incision on the proximal thigh was the only incision for harvesting the gracilis muscle flap. The small incisions were enough for the muscle flap to be pulled through. Results: The flaps survived successfully in all cases. Contours were good from both functional and aesthetic aspects. No breakdowns or ulcerations of the flap developed during long-term follow-up. Resultant scars were short and relatively hidden. Functional morbidities such as abdominal bulging were not noted. Conclusion: Endoscopy-assisted harvest of muscle flap and transfer with skin graft is a good option for soft tissue defects of the foot. Morbidities of the donor site can be minimized with endoscopic flap harvest. This method is preferable for young patients who want a small donor site scar.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 1993

This paper is the study of the reflectance of light from biological tissue for red and Infrared wavelengths and relates the acquired reflectance data to expected physiological changes within the skin and muscle layers associated with heat and exercise. The instrument was disigned to collect data from the calf muscle in human subjects with probe located at the surface of skin. Rapid data acquisition method allowed monitoring of rapid changes in reflecttance due to a stimulus. This study demonstrates that changes in O2 saturation and blood fractional volume expected within the dermis and muscle layers were asserted by examining the slopes of the plotted index for heat and exercise. The results presented in thls study support the claim that reflectance can separately discriminate between changes of blood volume and oxygenation in muscle and in skin. The data demonstrate the ability to measure consistent changes In tissue optical properties during exercise and heat.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2012

Acute injuries to skeletal muscles can lead to significant pain and disability. Muscle pain results in muscle weakness and range of motion (ROM) decreases. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) promote tissue repair, healing rates and reduce musculoskeletal pain. The results of many previous studies suggest that PEMF can contribute to chronic pain reduction, particularly in musculoskeletal injurys. However, we do not have enough information of its effects compared to a placebo. The principal objective of this study was to investigate differences in acute pain induced by the direct destruction of muscle tissue (extensor digitorum) with varying times of the application of PEMF, measured through the expression of c-fos on the spinal cord. Significant reduction of pain was found in groups exposed to PEMF and the group exposed to PEMF immediately after muscle injury showed the most significant differences. In conclusion, PEMF may be a useful strategy in reducing acute pain in muscle injury.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.134-142
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• 2021

Objective: To understand the athletic characteristics of Thoroughbreds, high-throughput analysis has been conducted using horse muscle tissue. However, an in vitro system has been lacking for studying and validating genes from in silico data. The aim of this study is to validate genes from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of our previous RNA-sequencing data in vitro. Also, we investigated the effects of exercise-induced stress including heat, oxidative, hypoxic and cortisol stress on horse skeletal muscle derived cells with the top six upregulated genes of DEGs. Methods: Enriched pathway analysis was conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) tool with upregulated genes in horse skeletal muscle tissue after exercise. Among the candidates, the top six genes were analysed through geneMANIA to investigate gene networks. Muscle cells derived from neonatal horse skeletal tissue were maintained and subjected to exercise-related stressors. Transcriptional changes in the top six genes followed by stressors were investigated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: The inflammation response pathway was the most commonly upregulated pathway after horse exercise. Under non-cytotoxic conditions of exercise-related stressors, the transcriptional response of the top six genes was different among types of stress. Oxidative stress yielded the most similar expression pattern to DEGs. Conclusion: Our results indicate that transcriptional change after horse exercise in skeletal muscle tissue strongly relates to stress response. The qRT-PCR results showed that stressors contribute differently to the transcriptional regulation. These results would be valuable information to understand horse exercise in the stress aspect.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.68-79
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• 2010

Lower abdominal tissue is regarded as an ideal donor site for the breast reconstruction because it provides large skin territory and huge amount of soft tissues enough to the breast size. However it is not easy for the surgeon to reconstruct the really natural breast, and needs the learning curve with long time experience. Author represent the various reconstruction procedures for the breast using lower abdominal tissue such as muscle sparing free TRAM, DIEP, and SIEA free flaps to reinsure like breast. Indications, and selection of reconstructive methods, surgical timing, selection of donor sites and recipient vessel of these flaps were reviewed. In addition, detailed procedures, surgical tips and secondary adjuvant procedures are described for more symmetry of reconstructed breast. The muscle sparing free TRAM, DIEP, and SIEA free flaps would be enough to provide supple, huge amount of well vascularized tissue for the breast, if these flaps were selected for the appropriate indication according to patient's general condition, obesity, the opposite breast and abdominal tissue condition. Lower abdominal tissue was able to provide versatile designs with sufficient adipose tissue without compromising the integrity of abdominal wall.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2008

Purpose : Mechanical stress activates signaling cascades and leading to a specific response of a network of signaling pathways. The purpose of this study is to review the effect of mechanical stress-induced adaptation in skeletal muscle involves a biological mechanisms. Methods : This is literature study with Pubmed, Medline and books. Results : Skeletal muscle tissue demonstrates a malleability and may adjust its metabilic response, vascularization and neuromuscular characteristic makeup in response to alteration in functional demands. The adaptation in skeletal muscle involoves a multitude of signalling mechanisms related with insuline-like growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, neurotrophins. Conclusions : The identification of the basic relationships underlying the malleability of skeletal muscle tissue is likely to be of relevance for our understanding with PNF technique.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2004

Electromyographic studies of the cricopharyngeus muscle using hooked wire electrodes were performed in thyroidectomized patients. The shape of the cricoid cartilage and soft tissue thickness in the postcricoid area were evaluated during pitch elevation and pitch lowering using conventional neck lateral films. The cricopharyngeus muscle simultaneously activated in the initial task of speech and continuously activated. Its activity lessened in the interrogative stress contrast of sentence terminals and increased in the pitch lowered contrast of sentence terminal. On the radiologic findings the cricoid cartilage was tilted backward during high pitched phonation and tilted forward during low pitched phonation. The soft tissue thickness of postcricoid area was thicker at the low pitch than at high pitch. At low pitch the cricoid cartilage paralleled along the vertebral column. This result suggests that the bulging of cricopharyngeus muscle in contraction induce a thickened the postcricoid area thickened, and exert pressure anteriorly exerted on the cricoid cartilage. This contraction of the cricopharyngeus muscle may result in shortening the vocal fold and lowering pitch.