• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.769-774
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• 2010

Purpose: As the soft tissue defect around the knee is difficult to reconstruct, local flap or free flap is used. Distally based anterolateral thigh pedicled flap introduced by Zhang uses sufficient reverse flow supplied from the vascular network around the knee. We report successful reconstruction of defect around knee by this method. Methods: Four patients with skin & soft tissue defect around knee have been treated for reconstruction using the distally based anterolateral thigh pedicled flap. First, the doppler was used to check the perforator flap of the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and to draw and dissect the perforator flap as much as needed. After the dissection, the proximal of the descending branch was clamped and checked for sufficient supply of blood flow from the reverse flow and then ligated. It was dissected along the descending branch and in order to prevent damage to the joined parts of the descending branch and the lateral superior geniculate artery, a more careful ligation was done starting from 10 cm superior to the knee. The defect was reconstructed after securing enough vascular pedicle to cover all the damaged parts. Results: Not all patients suffered from flap necrosis. In case of the patient with chronic osteomyelitis, slight venous congestion was observed right after the surgery but it disappeared the following day. All three patients had no occurences of additional complications. Conclusion: Distally based anterolateral thigh pedicled flap was enough to provide large flap for knee reconstruction. It had sufficient blood flow and vascular pedicle. It also had taken short operation time compared to the free flap operation. The distally based anterolateral thigh pedicled flap used by the authors is a very useful way of reconstructing the area around knee.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2014

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the knee has always been a challenging task for plastic surgeons. Various reconstructive choices are available depending on the location, size, and depth of the defect relative to the knee joint. Defects on the knee joint have several characteristic features. The use of a free flap is preferred for reconstructions involving obliteration of large-cavity defects, but recipient pedicle isolation can be difficult because of the extent of the injury zone. Furthermore, the true defect during knee joint flexion is larger than during knee joint extension, and a durable flap is necessary for joint movement. We report for the first time on the use of pedicled perforator flaps for reconstruction of bilateral knee defects in a 76-year-old woman. The operative procedure required skeletonizing the perforators of an antero-lateral thigh flap and antero-medial thigh flap and rotating the flap in the defect. The patient returned to normal daily activity and had a full range of motion two months after the accident. The shorter operating time with decreased donor site morbidity and its durability make this flap a valuable alternative for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 2011

Reconstruction of soft tissue defect of knee joint area has been remained a challenging task for plastic surgeons. The earlier the normal tissue saved and the necrotic tissue removed, the less the patients had complications and functional disability. But such defects are difficult to manage for its poor vascularity, rigid tissue distensibility, easy infectability and a relatively long healing period. The goal of flap coverage in the knee joint should not only be satisfactory wound coverage, but also acceptable appearance and minimal donor site morbidity. We have treated five cases using the anterolateral thigh perforator flaps for reconstruction successfully. In conclusion, we believe that in cases of knee joint area soft tissue defects, flaps like anterolateral thigh perforator flap should be considered as the first line of treatment.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 1998

It has been very difficult to managing partial joint defect in any etiologies, especially in children. Unicondylar defect of the tibial condyle in children reconstructed with proximal fibular head with articular cartilage from 1995. Two kinds of transfering methods were used, peroneal artery pedicled ipsilateral fibula head transposition to defective lateral tibial condyle defect that revealed poor prognosis with gradual absorption of transposed fibular epiphysis. Free vascularized fibular head transplantation with microvascular anastomosis underwent in the case with medial condyle defect of tibia which revealed very satisfactory results. Author can conclude with these clinical experiences: 1. Tranposition without epiphyseal vesssels intact is not sufficient in fibular head osteochondral transplantation in reconstruction of tibial condyle defect. That means peroneal arterial vascular pedicle is not enough for transplanted proximal epiphysis maintains its function on articular surface and growth activity in children. 2. The anterior recurrent tibial artery is one of the most important and easy to utilizing vessel in proximal fibular epiphyseal transplantation. 3. Free vascularized fibular head transplantation is hopeful method in reconstruction of the knee joint in the patient with partial joint defect which has no effective solution in conventional methods.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2005

In spite of proper maneuver of total knee replacement arthroplasty, some patients suffer from skin necrosis just above the implant. From Mar. 2000 to Jan. 2004, the authors performed reconstruction of knee skin defects after total knee replacement athroplasty. Total 6 cases of flap surgery were performed and patients ranged between 43-years-old to 82-years-old. Rectus femoris perforator based reversed adipofascial flaps were used in 2 cases, medial gastrocnemius muscular island flaps were used in 2 cases and sural artery based on adipofascial rotation flap was used in 1 case. One patient with extended necrosis underwent reconstruction with dual flaps of sural artery based adipofascial rotation flap and medial gastrocnemius muscular island flap. There were no distinctive complication needing additional procedure in all cases during the long term follow up. Reconstruction of necrosis following total knee replacement arthroplasty had several characteristics different from simple knee defect. The patients might have the history of long term steroid usages, excessive skin tension due to implants, underlying disease such as diabetes, rheumatoid disease, and etc. In addition, the early ambulation is mandatory in these patients of total knee replacement arthroplasty. With regards to these special considerations, a single stage and reliable operation must be needed. The authors introduce various reconstruction methods and algorithm that may aid easy decision making.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.447-453
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• 2005

The coverage of soft tissue defects around the knee joint or upper one third of lower leg presents a difficult challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. Various reconstructive choices are available depending on the location, size and depth of the defect. The authors present their clinical application of a medial sural artery perforator island flap as a useful alternative method for upper one third of lower leg and knee reconstruction. From 2002 to 2004, we operated total 4 patients (total 4 flaps) using the medial sural artey perforator island flap for coverage of the defect on upper one third of lower leg and knee, of 4 patients, 3 patients was men and one was woman. Average patient age was 54.6 years. The largest flap obtained was 10x8cm2. Postoperative follow up of the patients ranged from two to 33 months. In two cases, defects was located on upper one third of lower leg and in other two cases, defects were on the knee. All four cases had bone exposure open wound. In angiography, 2 cases had injured in the anterior tibial artery, 1 case had injured in the posterior tibial artery. There were no diabetes or other vascular disease. All 4 flaps were survived completely, without minor complications such as venous congestion and hematoma. Donor morbidity was restricted substantially to the donor linear scar. There were no functional impairment. As the main advantages of the medial sural perforator island flap, it ensures constant location and reliable blood supply without sacrificing any main source artery or damaging underlying muscle. This procedure is valuable extension of local flap for defect coverage with minimal functional deficit donor site and good aesthetic result on the defect. We consider it as one of the useful methods of the upper one third of lower leg and knee reconstruction.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2008

Medial gastrocnemius flap has been known as a useful option for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee and upper 1/3 of lower extremity, but it has a limitation to cover the lateral defect of the knee joint. We performed the combined gastrocnemius-medial sural artery perforator flap for coverage of the anterolateral defects of the knee joint, which is compound flap using a medial gastrocnemius flap and a medial sural artery perforator flap. This flap is a useful method for reconstruction of anterolateral knee defects, providing a easy dissection without the microsurgery and intramuscular dissection of the perforators.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.369-375
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• 2023

Purpose: The reconstruction of defects around the knee and the proximal third of the leg necessitates thin, pliable skin with a stable and sensate soft tissue cover. This study analyzed the use of a proximally based sural artery flap for the coverage of such defects. Methods: This prospective clinical interventional study involved 10 patients who had soft tissue defects over the knee and the proximal third of the leg. These patients underwent reconstruction with a proximally based sural artery flap. The study analyzed various factors including age, sex, etiology, location and presentation of the defect, defect dimensions, flap particulars, postoperative complications, and follow-up. Results: There were 10 cases, all of which involved men aged 20 to 65 years. The most common cause of injury was trauma resulting from road traffic accidents. The majority of defects were found in the proximal third of the leg, particularly on the anterolateral aspect. Defect dimensions varied from 6×3 to 15×13 cm², and extensive defects as large as 16 cm×14 cm could be covered using this flap. The size of the flaps ranged from 7×4 to 16×14 cm², and the pedicle length was 10 to 15 cm. In all cases, donor site closure was achieved with split skin grafting. This flap consistently provided a thin, pliable, stable, and durable soft tissue cover over the defect with no functional deficit and minimal donor site morbidity. Complications, including distal flap necrosis and donor site graft loss, were observed in two cases. Conclusions: The proximally based sural fasciocutaneous flap serves as the primary method for reconstructing medium to large soft tissue defects around the knee and the proximal third of the leg. This technique offers thin, reliable, sensate, and stable soft tissue coverage, and can cover larger defects with minimal complications.

• 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.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2015

Free or pedicled vascularized fibular grafts (VFG) are useful for the reconstruction of large skeletal defects, particularly in cases of scarred or avascular beds, or in patients with combined bone and soft tissue defects. Compared to non-VFG, VEG, which contains living osteocytes and osteoblasts, maintains its own viability and serves as good osteoconductive and osteoinductive graft. Due to its many structural and biological advantages, the free fibular osteo- or osteocutaneous graft is considered the most suitable autograft for the reconstruction of long bone defects in the injured extremity. The traditional indication of VFG is the long bone and soft tissue defect, which cannot be reconstructed using a conventional operative method. Recently, the indications have been widely expanded not only for defects of midtibia, humerus, forearm, distal femur, and proximal tibia, but also for the arthrodesis of shoulder and knee joints. Because of its potential to allow further bone growth, free fibular epiphyseal transfer can be used for the hip or for distal radius defects caused by the radical resection of a tumor. The basic anatomy and surgical techniques for harvesting the VFG are well known; however, the condition of the recipient site is different in each case. Therefore, careful preoperative surgical planning should be customized in every patient. In this review, recently expanded surgical indications of VFG and surgical tips based on the author's experiences in the issues of fixation method, one or two staged reconstruction, size mismatching, overcoming the stress fracture, and arthrodesis of shoulder and knee joint using VFG are discussed with the review of literature.