• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.702-708
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• 2014

Background Lower abdominal soft tissue transfer is the standard procedure for breast reconstruction. However, abdominal wall weakness and herniation commonly occur postoperatively at the donor site. To reduce the morbidities of the donor site, the superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap was introduced, but inconsistent anatomy of the SIEA has reduced its utility. In the present study, the anatomy of the superficial inferior epigastric vessels in Korean women was determined with regards to breast reconstructive surgery. Methods The vascular anatomies of the SIEA and superficial inferior epigastric vein (SIEV) were evaluated on 32 breast cancer patients receiving free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap reconstruction after mastectomy. The existence, pulsation, location, external diameter, and depth of the SIEA and SIEV were measured at the lower abdominal incision level. Results SIEA and SIEV were present in 48/64 (75.00%) and 63/64 (98.44%) hemi-abdomens, respectively. Pulsation of the SIEA was found in 44/48 (91.67%) cases. The mean locations of SIEA and SIEV were +5.79 (${\pm}12.87$) mm, and -8.14 (${\pm}15.24$) mm from the midpoint between the anterior superior iliac spine and symphysis pubis, respectively. The mean external diameters of SIEA and SIEV were 1.20 (${\pm}0.39$) mm and 1.37 (${\pm}0.33$) mm, and they were found at a mean depth of 9.75 (${\pm}2.67$) mm and 8.33 (${\pm}2.65$) mm, respectively. Conclusions The SIEA was absent in 25% of Korean women and had a relatively small caliber. Therefore, careful preoperative assessment of the lower abdominal vasculature is required to achieve successful breast reconstruction using SIEA flaps.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.80-91
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• 1996

A free rectus abdominis flap can include a variable amount of muscle length depending on recipient site requirements. There is also great flexibility in flap design in terms of size, orientation of its axis, and the level of its location over the muscle. It is safe to design the skin island across the midline. Though skin islands designed over the most inferior portion of the abdomen have not always proved reliable when based on the superior epigastric artery, free flaps based on the inferior pedicle can be successfully designed in this area. As free flap based on the inferior epigastric vessels, this flap has been useful for large head and neck defects following ablative procedures, for facial contour restoration as a buried flap, for upper extremity defects, for lower extremity defects such as coverage of grade III tibial fractures and for breast reconstruction. A free rectus abdominis muscle or myocutaneus flap was used in 8 patients. The operations were performed between Sep. of 1994 and April of 1996. The patients were tongue cancer 1 case, chronic facial palsy 1 case, unilateral breast reconstruction 1 case, upper and lower extremity injury 5 cases. The free rectus abdominis muscle flaps were 4 cases and the free myocutaneous flaps were 4 cases. There was no failure of the flap, except one partial necrosis. One case of the skin grafts on the muscle flap was regrafted. One case of reoperation due to venous thrombosis was performed. In tongue cancer patient, a orocutaneous fistula was occurred, but conservative treatment and secondandry skin graft were done. In conclusion, a free rectus abdominis flap has many advantages such as a long and constant pedicle, easy dissection, enough soft tissue available, scar on the donor site to be hiddened, no need for changing position. So we think that this flap is the most useful one for small or moderate sized defects on the various sites.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.569-573
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• 2008

Purpose: Surgical excision of the subcutaneous tissues, with or without skin excision in the axillary hair-bearing area, has been the treatment of choice in treating osmidrosis for several decades. However, long periods of postoperative immobilization of a shoulder joint, partial necrosis of skin flaps or the possibility of hematoma and scars have occurred frequently. So we used $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector(Shaver) in procedure which requires removal of soft tissue for comparing results between surgical excision and the laters. Methods: From January 2007 to February 2008, a total of 20 patients(8 male and 12 female) underwent $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector(Shaver) assisted aspiration for treating osmidrosis. The mean age of the subjects was 21.9, and we tried to analyze some advantages of $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector(Shaver). Results: The average operation time was 61.6 minutes. This results can show that the patients who received $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector(Shaver) assisted aspiration can accomplish better outcomes than any other procedures in terms of operation time at least. Moreover, no significant postoperative complications occurred in our studies. Subjects have been followed up from 2 months to 1 year and among these patients, no one suffered from critical complications. Conclusion: In brief, $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector(Shaver) is able to shorten the time of operation and simplify the procedures relatively and this device has more superiorities in wound healing by maintaining of vascularized dermal skin flaps. It means that $XPS^{(R)}$ microresector (Shaver) can prevent flap necrosis, axillary hair loss and minimalize scarring and bleeding. Thus, we expect that these advantages can lead to better patient's comfort and self-confidence than several previous procedures.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 2009

Purpose: Merkel cell carcinoma, also called neuroendocrine carcinoma, is a very rare type of skin cancer that develops as Merkel cells grow out of control. Merkel cell carcinoma is reported below 1% of whole skin neoplasms in the United States and is known that the 2-year survival rate is about 50~70%. The principles of treatment are wide excision of primary lesion with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy that decrease the local recurrent rate. There has been no report of reconstruction with free flap after resection of Merkel cell carcinoma in Korea. Methods: We reconstructed the skin and soft tissue defect after wide excision of Merkel cell carcinoma with anterolateral thigh perforator free flap in two cases. No distant metastasis was found at the preoperative imaging work-up. In one case, preoperative chemotherapy was performed and the size of lesion was decreased. Results: There were no recurrence and significant complications. Functionally and aesthetically satisfactory results were obtained with reconstruction. Conclusion: Wide excision and reconstruction with anterolateral thigh perforator free flap for Merkel cell carcinoma patient is the first report in Korea. We regard this method as the treatment of choice in Merkel cell carcinoma.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.40
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• pp.41.1-41.4
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• 2018

Background: Free fibular flap is one of the most useful methods in the hard tissue reconstruction of the maxillamandible. Free fibular flap presents some advantages in which the reconstruction of both soft and hard tissues can be done at the same time. It also provides a safe and successful bone graft for the reconstruction, along with a low rate of complications. Despite these advantages and the rarity of a postoperative complication, particularly in oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures, a prolonged operation might exhibit some complications related with rhabdomyolysis. We experienced the rare event of rhabdomyolysis after oral cancer surgery. Case presentation: In this article, we report the case of a patient who developed rhabdomyolysis after undergoing free fibular flap surgery. Conclusions: Despite the advantages of the free fibular flap operation, clinicians must be aware of the risk of complications because there are multiple factors that could result in rhabdomyolysis, such as duration of operation, position of the subject, and pre-existing conditions of diabetes and hypertension. Once the diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis is confirmed, a prompt treatment plan should be made and applied as soon as possible. This will increase the chance of a full recovery for the patient who is exhibiting symptoms of rhabdomyolysis.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 1998

A limb-sparing operation has a definitive role in the treatment of osteosarcoma in the lower extremity of skeletally-immature patients. After a limb-sparing operation, leg length discrepancy remains as a major disability that should be corrected. This study was designed to suggest methods of tumor resection and proper timing of leg length equalization in skeletally immature osteosarcoma patients. From September 1990 to January 1998, we reviewed eight osteosarcoma patients in an immature skeletal age. There were 4 males and 4 females, and their mean duration of follow-up was 50.37 months (range : 25 to 88 months). Mean skeletal age was 8 years (range : 8 months to 11 years). The patients were classified according to the methods of tumor resection ; intercalary resection in 1 case, transepiphyseal resection in 1, intra-articular resection in 5, and extra-articular resection in 1. The results were as follows ; 1. The leg lengthening was begun when a patient's leg length discrepancy reached 4-5cm. 2. The age of final lengthening with permanent reconstruction was 14 years in males and 12 years in females (about 2 years before skeletal maturity). 3. When reconstruction was performed with a temporary spacer, the site of lengthening Was in the soft tissue, not in bone, and then a permanant reconstruction was done. 4. Reconstruction with a biologic spacer to preserve the joint function was a reasonable method for equalization of leg length. In conclusion, the appropriate choice of reconstructive method and the age at which to correct the leg length discrepancy in a skeletally-immature osteosarcoma patients are important factors for maintaining leg length at full maturity.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-45
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• 2002

Fifty patients with lung mass were studied to evaluate the effect of reconstruction algorithm on the CT number of lung mass and normal thoracic tissues. In each examination, the CT image of the lung mass was reconstructed using soft, standard, detail and bone algorithm. The results were shown as follows 1. the average maximum difference of lung mass density on the ROIs using 4 different algorithms was less than 1HU. 2. The maximum difference in the degree of lung mass enhancement was respectively $0.1{\sim}3.2HU$ (ROI $0.5\;cm^2$), $0.1{\sim}2.8HU$(ROI $3\;cm^2$) and $0.0{\sim}2.1$(ROI $6\;cm^2$). 3. The mean density of the normal thoracic tissues was highest in the bone algorithm, though there was no significant between 4 different reconstruction algorithms(p = 1.00).

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2010

In surgical treatment of the malignant melanoma, radical resection and a sentinel lymph node biopsy are essential procedures to eradicate the tumor and to minimize the risk of local recurrence. For the reconstruction of skin defect after tumor resection, a skin graft has been generally performed procedure. However, if tendon or bone is exposed after tumor resection, simple skin graft is not enough for the coverage of the defect and additional procedure is mandatory. In this study, we reviewed the clinical results of 16 patients, who had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma of the limb and underwent surgical resection and reconstruction of the defect with various methods. The sentinel lymph node dissection was performed in all patients combined with radical excision of the tumor. In 11 cases of positive sentinel lymph nodes, further elective lymph node dissections were performed. The mean tumor invasion depth was 4.54 mm (2~10 mm), and AJCC stage II was most common (9 cases). The pedicled flaps were performed in 10 cases for the reconstruction of defects. All flaps were successfully survived without significant complications until the last follow up. In conclusion, a pedicled flap coverage is very useful reconstruction strategy for the soft tissue defects after radical resection of malignant melanoma.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.444-447
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• 2022

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects around the knee is challenging, and the most common solution is to use various locoregional flaps or, in some difficult cases, a free flap. The distally based anterolateral thigh (dALT) flap is a commonly used flap that relies on reverse blood flow from the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery (d-LCFA). Here, we present the case of an anteromedial knee reconstruction using a dALT flap after resection of a pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma. The tumor resection resulted in a 14 × 7 cm defect, and a dALT flap, measuring 20 × 8 cm was elevated. During the surgery, we found a robust oblique branch of the LCFA (o-LCFA) sending off two sizable perforators to the anterolateral thigh region, whereas the d-LCFA was relatively small with no usable perforators. Therefore, we harvested a dALT flap relying on reverse flow from the o-LCFA. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and the flap survived without complications. This report demonstrates that reverse flow from the o-LCFA may be an alternative to nourish a dALT flap in cases where the d-LCFA is hypoplastic or suitable perforators from the d-LCFA are unavailable.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.253-260
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• 2020

Purpose: Soft tissue defects of the distal lower extremity are commonly accompanied by a fracture of the lower extremities. Theses defects are caused by the injury itself or by complications associated with surgical treatment of the fracture, which poses challenging problem. The reverse superficial sural artery flap (RSSAF) is a popular option for these difficult wounds. This paper reviews these cases and reports the clinical results. Materials and Methods: Between August 2003 and April 2018, patients who were treated with RSSAF for soft tissue defects of the lower third of the leg and ankle related to a fracture were reviewed. A total of 16 patients were involved and the mean follow-up period was 18 months. Eight cases (50.0%) of the defects were due to an open fracture, whereas the other eight cases (50.0%) were postoperative complication after closed fracture. The largest flap measured 10×15 cm² and the mean size of the donor sites was 51.9 cm². The flap survival and postoperative complications were evaluated. Results: All flaps survived without complete necrosis or failure. One case with partial necrosis of the flap was encountered, but the wound healed after debridement and repair. One case had a hematoma with a pseudoaneurysmal rupture of the distal tibial artery. On the other hand, the flap was intact and the wound healed after arterial ligation and flap advancement. A debulking operation was performed on three cases for cosmetic reasons and implant removal through the flap was performed in three cases. No flap necrosis was encountered after these additional operations. Conclusion: RSSAF is a relatively simple and safe procedure for reconstructing soft tissue defects following a fracture of the lower extremity that does not require microsurgical anastomosis. This can be a useful treatment option for soft tissue defects on the distal leg, ankle, and foot.