Objective To study the method and effect of free rectusabdominis muscle flaps with intermediate split thickness skin graft in repairing defects on legs and ankles.Methods From May 1998 to December 2002, 11 cases of defects on legs(2 cases) and on ankles( 9 cases) were repaired by use of unilateral free rectus abdominis flap with skin graft. The soft tissue defects were accompanied by osteomyelitis or the exposure of bone or tendon.The disease course was 1 month to 10 years. The defect size ranged 3 cm×4 cm to 8 cm×14 cm. The area ofrectus abdominis muscle flaps was 4 cm×6 cm to 8 cm×15 cm. Results All patients were followed up 6 months to 4 years after operation. All rectusabdominis flaps survived with good appearances and functions.The primary healing was achieved in 8 cases, intermediate split thickness skin graft necrosed in 3 cases and the wound healed after skin re-graft.Conclusion Free rectus abdominis flap is a proper option for repair of the soft tissue defects or irregular woundson legs and ankles. It has the advantages of abundant blood supply, b anti-infection ability, good compliance and satisfied appearance.
目的 评价不同皮瓣、肌皮瓣修复小腿及足踝部皮肤软组织缺损的效果，探讨小腿及足踝部皮肤软组织缺损的理想修复方法。 方法 2002年6月－2010年1月，应用15种皮瓣、肌皮瓣修复128例（138处）小腿及足踝部皮肤软组织缺损。其中小腿中上段21处，小腿中下段45处，内外踝及足跟部43处，足背及前足29处。主要应用最多的皮瓣有腓肠神经营养血管皮瓣、腓肠肌内外侧头肌皮瓣、腓浅神经营养血管皮瓣和足底内侧皮瓣。修复软组织缺损范围5 cm×4 cm～23 cm×14 cm。 结果 术后135处创面Ⅰ期愈合，皮瓣完全成活；2处皮瓣部分坏死，经二次手术植皮修复；1例游离股前外侧皮瓣修复小腿中下段软组织缺损，皮瓣完全坏死，后改取对侧腓肠神经营养血管交腿皮瓣修复成活。腓肠神经营养血管皮瓣应用例数最多，成活率高，吻合血管的游离皮瓣坏死率较高。术后患者均获随访1～10年，平均23个月，皮瓣均成活良好, 无溃疡、渗液等。 结论 正确认识并选择皮瓣、肌皮瓣修复小腿及足踝部皮肤软组织缺损可提高皮瓣成活率，恢复肢体良好功能，腓肠神经营养血管皮瓣是一种修复小腿及足踝部软组织缺损的理想皮瓣。
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of free vascularized thoracoumbilical flap with reversal flow in repairing the soft tissue defect in leg with tibia exposure. METHODS: Forty-four casting mould specimens of leg arteries were studied firstly. Then 25 cases with soft tissue defect and tibia exposure in the proximal-middle segment of leg were adopted in this study. Among them, 18 cases had long distance thrombosis of the anterior tibial vessels or posterior tibial vessels due to traumatic lesion. The maximal size of defect was 28 cm x 11 cm and the minimal size of defect was 11 cm x 9 cm. In operation, the thoracoumbilical flap which was based on the inferior epigastric vessels was anastomosed to the distal end of the anterior tibial vessels or posterior tibial vessels. RESULTS: Anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and fibular artery had rich communication branches in foot and ankle. All the flaps survived, the color and cosmetic result of them were good. CONCLUSION: The free vascularized thoracoumbilical flap with reversed flow is practical in repairing the soft tissue defect of leg with tibia exposure. Either the anterior tibial vessels or the posterior tibial vessels is normal, and the distal end of injured blood vessels is available, this technique can be adopted.
ObjectiveTo introduce a modified technique of a sloped skin island design for the distally based sural nuerofasciocutaneous flap to reconstruct soft tissue defects longitudinal in distal pretibial region or transverse in the heel and ankle, and report the effectiveness of the modified technique. MethodsBetween April 2001 and January 2016, 37 patients (38 defects) with longitudinal defects in distal pretibial region or transverse defects in the heel and ankle were treated with the sural nuerofasciocutaneous flap with slope-designed skin island. These patients included 28 males and 9 females, with a median age of 37 years (range, 5-78 years). The horizontal and vertical dimensions ranged from 3 to 8 cm and 8.5 to 14.5 cm in 11 distal pretibial defects, and from 9 to 21 cm and 3.0 to 10.5 cm in 27 heel and ankle defects, respectively. The disease duration ranged from 2 days to 5 years. ResultsWhen the skin islands were routinely designed, the skin islands of 25 flaps would exceed the lateral limit (the anterior border of the fibula) laterally or medial limit (the medial border of the tibia) medially. After the skin islands were obliquely designed, the horizontal dimensions in 38 flaps decreased an average of 5.4 cm (range, 2.5 to 14.8 cm), and the vertical dimensions increased an average of 5.3 cm (range, 2 to 15 cm). The rotation angles ranged from 42° to 90°, with an average of 67°. Thirty-five flaps survived uneventfully. Margin necrosis occurred in 2 flaps, and partial necrosis in 1 (2.6%) flap. The grafted skins at donor site survived, and primary healing of incision was obtained. All patients were followed up 6 to 42 months (mean, 10 months). No infection or ulceration was noted during the follow-up period, and the appearances of the flaps were satisfactory. At last follow-up, according to Boyden et al criteria, the limb function was excellent in 30 cases, good in 6 cases, and poor in 2 cases, with the excellent and good rateof 94.7%. ConclusionWhen the distal sural nuerofasciocutaneous flap is used to reconstruct soft tissue defects longitudinal in distal pretibial region or transverse in the heel and ankle, the modified technique of sloped skin island design can decrease the horizontal dimension of the skin island, improve the flap survival rate, and extend its indications.