• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2012

Purpose: Arterialized venous flap is useful for reconstruction of the traumatic soft tissue defect in fingers, but insufficient circulation of the traumatic fingers makes surgeons annoying to use the flap. We have grafted flaps in 7 fingers with insufficient vascular bed hoping to expanded the category of the flap. Materials and Methods: Arterialized venous flap have transplanted in 7 fingers from March 2008 through February 2010 and followed up for 4 to 16 months(average 7.2 months). They were all male with a mean age at the time of surgery was 33. The main injury was crushing in 4 degloving, contact burn and saw injury was I respectively. Time interval from injury to flap transplantation was average 3.1. weeks(3 days to 6 weeks). Designed flap size ranges from $8cm{\times}3.5cm$to $4cm{\times}3cm$. Vessel type of flap was one artery with two veins were 5 cases and one artey with one vein 2. Flap type was cutaneous in 3, tendocutaneous 2, neurotendocutaneous 1 and neurocutaneous 1. The circulation state of recipient site was avascular in 2 cases, insufficiency 3 and tip avascular 2. Results: Arterialized venous flap was complete survived in 2 cases, partial necrosis(less than 10%) 3 and failed in 2. Conclusion: An arterialized venous free flap could be a useful procedure for reconstruction in soft tissue or combined defect of the finger despite an avascular or insufficient vascular beds if the recipient beds were free from infection.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2000

With esthetic concern in the reconstruction of skin and soft tissue defects of face, the use of local flap has been the method of choice. However, when there is extensive tissue loss in the face, local flaps do not provide satisfactory results. The amazing development of microsurgical technique has decreased the percentage of free flap failure, thus making free flap use in reconstruction of facial soft tissue defects. Many free flaps has been applied for reconstruction of face defects. Especially, the radial forearm flap has numerous advantages with which facial reconstruction is made possible. But, its disadvantages are ; the sacrifice of one major artery supplying the hand and donor site complications. In order to circumvent these disadvantages, we employed posterior interosseous artery(PIA) forearm free flap for the reconstruction of the face defects. The posterior interosseous forearm island flap was first described by Zancolli and Angrigiani(1985). Currently, the PIA island flap and free flap have been used for hand reconstructions. The disadvantages of the PIA flap are ; the small caliber of the pedicle, different locations of the perforating branches, and the proximity of the motor branch of the radial nerve. But, its advantages lies in preserving the major artery of the hand, minimal donor site morbidity, and fairly well matched skin texture and color, and that the flap volume is sufficient, not too bulky with convenient handling. By using this flap, we performed 1 case of tumor resection and 1 case of traumatic defect. From our experiences we conclude that it is one of many useful methods in the reconstruction of the skin and soft tissue defects of the face. We also have discussed advantages and some limitations of various free flaps for reconstruction of the face.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2004

Purpose : We analyse retrospectively the clinical result of consecutive free flap and osteocutaneous flap transfer in the chronic osteomyelitis, nonunion combined with infection and soft tissue defect with infection. Materials and Methods : From December 1989 to Jun 2003, free flap and osteocutaneous flap transfer was performed in 225 patients with osteomyelitis or infected non-union. 44 cases of these patients had revealed antibitotics resistant organism in wound culture, and these 44 cases were investigated in the mechanism of the injury, recurrence of infection, radiographic union, follow-up clincal results, and postoperative complications. Results : Among the 44 cases, consecutive procedures of osteocutaneous flap transfers(26 cases) and free flaps(18 cases) were performed. Causative organisms were MRSA(20 cases), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(18 cases), acinetobacter(2 cases), and so forth. Initial bony union was obtained in the average 6.3 months. Recurrence of infection in free flap and osteocutaneous free flap were occurred in 3 and 4 cases respectively. Eventually, all the cases attained successful subsidence of the inflammation. Conclusion : Free flap and osteocutaneousflap transfer have provided the greatest improvement of surgical results in infected non-union, chronic osteomyelitis and soft tissue defect with infection. Further clincal studies maybe required to minimize failure rate.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.108-112
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• 2007

The general treatment methods of chronic osteomyelitis of calcaneus with soft tissue defect was curettage of necrotic bone with antibiotics mixed bone cement insertion or cancellous bone grafting, and free or pedicled flap coverage. The muscle flap for soft tissue defect has many advantages including control of infection, but in cases of pedicled flap in calcaneus, there are some limitations because of functional loss of the donor site, limitation of pedicled length of donor muscle In these reason, free muscle flap was more preferred for pedicled muscle flap. But, in case of small sized defect which was located in center or lateral side of calcaneus, the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap can be one of the solutions. The abductor digiti minimi muscle flap has minimal functional loss of donor site and can be performed easily. There are some reports of the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap in other country, but in korea, this report is the first case report of the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap. We performed one case of abductor digiti minimi muscle flap as a treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of calcaneus and could obtain a good result.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1998

Microvascular free tissue transfer technique is widely accepted for reconstruction of extensive soft tissue defects on the extremities. The system of flap based on the subscapular artery and vein provides the widest ways of composite free flaps. The possible flaps that can be harvested based on this single vascular pedicle include the scapular and parascapular skin flaps, the serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi muscular flaps, the lateral scapular bone flap, the latissimus dorsi-rib flap, and the serratus anterior-rib flap. This combined flap is available to mutiple tissue defects or complex defects because it can incorporated with skin, muscle and bone flaps. A strikig advantage is the independent vascular pedicles of each components, which allow freedom in orientation of each components. So, it can be freely applied to any forms of three demensional defects on the upper and lower extremities. The combination of scapular cutaneous flap and latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap can be resurfaced for massive cutaneous defects on the extremities. We report the use of the combined scapular and latissimus dorsi free flap in seven patients to reconstruct massive deefcts on the extremities. There was no flap failure and little complications and disadvantages. The anatomy of this flap is reviewed and the indication and advantages are discussed.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.525-528
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• 2011

A deep circumflex iliac artery (DCIA) flap is usually used for reconstruction in oral and maxillo-facial surgery department since introduced by O'Brien in 1975. Various flap designs are possible for osteomusculocutaneous, musculocutaneous, musculosseous and vascularized bone types. Iliac crest shape is similar to contour of mandible. Moreover, though a fibular flap has only 15~20 mm of cutting plane width, a DCIA flap contains much more bone amount, making this a similar reconstruction compare with normal mandible. A 68 year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma on the anterior floor of the mouth had an impression with T2N0Mx and the treatment procedure was DCIA reconstruction after wide resection and marginal mandibulectomy, with both supraomohyoid neck dissection. We present an experience of DCIA flap for reconstruction with a literature review.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.619-621
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• 2020

This article portrays the authors' clinical experience of a complex case of lower extremity reconstruction using a recycled pedicle from 10 years old free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap to supply a new free anterolateral thigh flap for proximal tibia wound defect reconstruction. It provides clinical evidence that muscle neovascularization occurs and supports the dogma peripheral tissue neovascularization. This case stipulates that recycling of pedicle is feasible, when used with appropriate strategy and safety and also provides evidence for the long-term survival of greater saphenous vein grafts in lower extremity reconstruction.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.696-700
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• 2022

We performed distal bypass and free flap transfer in a single-stage operation to repair an extensive soft tissue defect in an ischemic foot of an 84-year-old woman. The nutrient artery of the free flap was anastomosed to the bypass graft in an end-to-side manner. Subsequently, the bypass graft became occluded on several occasions. Although intravascular and surgical interventions were performed each time, the bypass graft eventually became completely occluded. However, despite late occlusion of the nutrient artery, the free flap has remained viable and the patient is ambulatory. The time required for a transplanted free flap to become completely viable without a nutrient artery is likely longer for an ischemic foot compared with a healthy foot. However, the exact period of time required is not known. A period of month was required in our patient. We report this case to help clarify the process by which a free flap becomes viable when applied to an ischemic foot.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.541-545
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• 2006

Purpose: There are many methods for the reconstruction of the facial defect after an excision of a skin cancer; such as skin graft, local flap, free flap, etc... Skin graft has its' limitations; it could remain in different color with in regards of the recipient to donor, with an unfavorable scar. Free flap can lead to big donor site morbidity with long operation time and uncontrolled scar as a disadvantage factor. Compared to the prior, local flap offers several merits; sufficient blood supply, good tissue quality and short operation time. We revised 'V-Y-S flap' for the facial defect, which proved to have favorable outcomes. Methods: Total 7 V-Y-S flaps were performed to patients with skin cancers(six squamous cell carcinoma and one basal cell carcinoma). Two of these flaps were combined with composite grafts, one with full thickness skin graft. Six patients were female and one male. The average diameter of defects after excision was 2.3 cm. The follow-up period was 18 months maximally. Results: We treated seven facial skin cancers with 'V-Y-S flap'. There were no flap necrosis, cancer recurrence and scar contracture as a result. Furthermore, this method also offers a favorable central scar line that is parallel to the nasolabial fold and the nasojugal groove, especially in the nasolabial area and superomedial side of the cheek. With this method, we could cover a maximum diameter of 4cm facial defect. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is suggested that V-Y-S flap is a useful method to cover facial defects after the excision of a skin cancer.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2013

Background A thinned anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is often harvested to achieve optimal skin resurfacing. Several techniques have been described to thin an ALT flap including an adipocutaneous flap, an adipofascial flap and delayed debulking. Methods By systematically reviewing all of the available literature in English and French, the present manuscript attempts to identify the common surgical indications, complications and donor site morbidity of the adipofascial variant of the ALT flap. The studies were identified by performing a systematic search on Medline, Ovid, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Current Contents, PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar. Results The study selection process was adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, and 15 articles were identified using the study inclusion criteria. These articles were then reviewed for author name(s), year of publication, flap dimensions and thickness following defatting, perforator type, type of transfer, complications, thinning technique, number of cases with a particular area of application and donor site morbidity. Conclusions The adipofascial variant of the ALT flap provides tissue to fill large defects and improve pliability. Its strong and safe blood supply permits adequate immediate or delayed debulking without vascular complications. The presence of the deep fascia makes it possible to prevent sagging by suspending and fixing the flap for functional reconstructive purposes (e.g., the intraoral cavity). Donor site morbidity is minimal, and thigh deformities can be reduced through immediate direct closure or liposuction and direct closure. A safe blood supply was confirmed by the rate of secondary flap debulking.