Objective To observe the clinical outcome of primary repair of the tissue defects of the Achilles tendon and skin by thigh anterolateral free flap and free iliotibial tract. Methods From January 2000 to January 2005, the thigh anterolateral free flap and the iliotibial tract were used to primarily repair the defects of the Achilles tendon and skin in 11 patients (7 males and 4 females, aged 6-45 years). The defects of the skin and Achilles tendon were found in 6 patients, and the defects of the Achilles tendonand skin accompanied by the fracture of the calcaneus were found in 5 patients.The defect of the Achilles skin was 6 cm×5cm-14 cm×8 cm in area. The defect of the Achilles tendon was 511 cm in lenth. The skin flap was 11 cm×6 cm-17 cm×11 cm in area.The iliotibial tract was 7-13 cm in length and 3-5 cm in width. The medial and lateral borders were sutured to from double layers for Achilles tendon reconstruction. The woundon the donor site could be sutured directly in 5 patients, and the others could be repaired with skin grafting. Results After operation, all the flaps survived and the wound healed by first intention. The followup of the 11 patients for 6 mouths-4 years (average, 30 months) revealed that according to Yin Qingshui’s scale, the result was excellent in 6 patients, goodin 4, and fair in 1. The excellent and good rate was 99%. The results showed a significant improvement in the “heel test” and the Thompson sign, and both were negative. No complications of ulceration on the heel and re-rupture of the Achiles tendon occurred. Conclusion The primary repair of the tissue defects of the Achilles tendon and skin by free grafting of the anterolateral femoral skin flap and the iliotibial tract is an effective surgical method.
OBJECTIVE To study the biocompatibility of skin reproductive membrane. METHODS According to ISO’s standards, the extractions of the skin reproductive membrane were prepared, and the acute systematic toxicity test, primary skin irritant test, cytotoxicity test, gene expression of type I collagen and fibronectin were detected to evaluate the biocompatibility of skin reproductive membrane. RESULTS All of those tests showed negative results. CONCLUSION The skin reproductive membrane has excellent biocompatibility in the level of the systematic, cellular and molecular biology.
Objective To observe the protective role of the ectogenesis zinc on the cells in rat flap with ischemia reperfusion injury and study the mechanisms. Methods A right low abdominal island flap was created in Wistar rats. Fortyeight rats were randomly divded into 3 groups (n=16):the control group, the ischemia reperfusion group and adding zinc ischemia reperfusion group.The content of malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activity of myeloperoxidase(MPO) were measured by thiobarbituric acid methods and colorimetry. The location of expression of MT was observed,and the image analysis was performed. The quantity of MT was represented by the integratial optical density. The ultrastructure changes of skin flap with ischemia reperfusion injury and the flap viability were observed. Results In the ischemia reperfusion injury flaps, the content of MDA and MPO show no statistically significant difference among the control group,IR group and the adding-zinc-IR group (P＞0.05). Compared with the control group at 1 h and 24 h of reperfusion, the level of MDA increased 62.2% and 136.4%(P＜0.01) in the IR group, which increased 11.3% and 33.2%(P＜0.01) in the adding-zinc-IR group. The activity of MPO increased 238.4% and 503.4%(P＜0.01)in the IR group when compared with the control group, and increased 17.9%and 24.1%(P＜0.05) when compared with the adding-zinc-IR group. In the ischemia reperfusion injury falps, the content of MT in the control group and the IR group is too minimal to measure. While the content ofMT in the adding-zinc-IR group is 45.30±7.60. At 1 h and 24 h of reperfusiion, the content of MT in the adding-zinc-IR group increased 41.5% and 44.9% (P＜0.01) compared with the IR group, and increased 119.9% and 234.6% (P＜0.01) compared with the control group. The flap viability is 100% in the control group, 19.65%±4.38% in the IR group, and 24.99%±5.12% in the adding-zinc-IR group, which increased 27.2% (P＜0.05) compared with IR group. Conclusion Many kinds of cells in skin flap with ischemiareperfusion injury can be protected by ectogenesis zinc and the flap viability increases significantly.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of differentiation of the marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the cells of the skin appendages andthe mechanism of their involvement in the wound healing. Methods The bone marrow was collected from Wistar rats by the flushing of the femurs, MSCs were isolated and purified by the density gradient centrifugation. Then, the MSCs were amplified and labelled with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU). The full-thickness skin wounds with an area of 1 cm×1 cm were made on the midback of the homogeneous male Wistar rats. At the same time, 1×106/ml BrdU-labelled MSCs were infused from thepenile vein. The specimens were harvested from the wound tissues on the 3rd dayand the 7th day after operation and were immunohistochemically stained by either BrdU or BrdU and pan-keratin. Results The BrdU positive cells appeared in thehypodermia, the sebaceous glands, and the hair follicles of the wounds, as wellas the medullary canal of the femurs. The double-staining showed the BrdU positive cells in the sebaceous glands and the hair follicles of the wounds expressedpan-keratin simultaneously. Conclusion During the course of the wound healing, MSCs are involved in the wound repair and can differentiate into the cells ofthe skin appendages under the microenvironment of the wound.
An in vitro experiment showed that the skin expanders were permeable to metronidazole and procaine. Twenty kidney shaped skin expanders were divided into four groups. Group 1. 100ml 0.2% metronidazole solution was injected into the expanders and the expenders were immersed in a flask filled with 100ml saline solution, and then were placed in a hermetically sealed glass chamber; Group 2.the whole procedure was the same as that of Group 1 except the expander was previously boiled in water for 30 minutes; Group 3. 100 ml 2% procaine was injected instead of metronidazole, other step was the same as that ofgroup I; and Group 4. the whole procedure was the same as that of Group 2 except the solutioninjected was 2% procaine. The concentration of metronidazole and procaine in the surrounding saline was measured at 1st, 2nd, 4th, 16th, 24th, 48th, 72nd 120th hours. The rate of diffusion of a drug was highest at 2 and 4 hous. The rate of diffusion was inversely proportional to its molecular weight, i.e., the smaller the molecular weight the greater the permeability. In view of this, during the process of expansion, metronidazole and procaine would diffuse out of the expander which might be beneficial for preventing infection and controlling pain.
OBJECTIVE: To explore an effective method to repair the abdominal wall defect. METHODS: From July 1996 to December 2000, 7 cases with abdominal wall defect were repaired by pedicle graft of intestine seromuscular layer and skin graft, among them, intestinal fistula caused by previous injury during operation in 4 cases, abdominal wall defect caused by infection after primary fistulization of colon tumor in 2 cases, abdominal wall invaded by intestinal tumor in 1 case. Exploratory laparotomy was performed under general anesthesia, the infective and edematous tissue around abdominal wall defect was gotten rid off, and the pathologic intestine was removed. A segment of intestine with mesentery was intercepted, and the intestine along the longitudinal axis offside mesentery was cutted, the mucous layer of intestine was scraped. The intestine seromuscular layer was sutured to the margin of abdominal wall defect, and grafted by intermediate split thickness skin. RESULTS: The abdominal wall wound in 6 cases were healed by first intention, but part of grafted skin was necrosed, and it was healed by second skin graft. No intestinal anastomotic leakage was observed in all cases. Followed up 1 to 2 years, there were no abdominal hernia or abdominal internal hernia. All the cases could normally defecate. The nutriture of all cases were improved remarkably. CONCLUSION: Pedicle graft of intestine seromuscular layer is a reliable method to repair abdominal wall defect with low regional tension, abundant blood supply and high successful rate.
Objective To report the clinical result of the improvedisland skin flap with distallybased sural nerve nutrient vessels in repairing skin defect in the heel, ankle or foot. Methods From August2004 to April 2005, 15 patients with skin defect in the heel, ankle or foot at distal part were treated by the improved island skin flap with distally-based of sural nerve nutrient vessels. Of 15 flaps, 12 were simplex flaps and 3 were complex flaps. These flap area ranged from 7 cm×6 cm to 11×8 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly and covered with free flap. Results All flaps survived without flap swelling and disturbance of blood circulation. The wounds of donor and recipient sites healed by first intention. The followup period ranged from 3 to 6 months. The texture of flap was soft and the color of flap was similar to that of normal skin. The foot function was excellent. Conclusion The improved island skin flap with distally-based sural nerve nutrient vessels is an ideal skin flap for repairing skin defect in the heel, ankle or foot distal part in clinical. The operation is simple and need not to anastomose blood vessel.
Objective To explore the mechanism of full-thickness burn wound healing with autoskin grafting in fault hypodermis wound of granulation excision and to evaluate its effect.Methods By the techniques of clinical observation, histopathology, immunohistochemistry,TEM and FCM,we observed changes of the activity andstructure of grafted skin and the granulation tissue,collagnous fiber,microvessels,the ultramicrostructure of fibroblasts and the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) in the base of autoskin grafting in fault hypodermis wound in burned adult minipigs(Group A), and compared with traditional method of autoskingrafting on the basilar fibrous tissue wound of scraped partly granulation being(Group B) and control group (Group C, without treatment except de-fur).Results The grafted skin survived after 3 days of operation, and it had less injury and higher proliferative index(PI) in group A than in group B. The hyperplasiaof granulation tissue and vascular endothelial and the expression of bFGF were more evident in group A. After 5 days, the proliferation of endothelial cells and granulation and the protein synthesis of fibroblasts were more active in groupA, and at this moment, fresh collagen appeared and proliferated more actively in group B. After 7-14 days, epidermic structure and dermic microvascular density became normal gradually, the granulation on grafting base matured and transformed into fibrous connective tissue in group A. The same change deferred about 2 days in group B. After 21 days, the above pathologic change in group A was less than that in group B. After 3060 days of operation, Group A achieved much less contraction and transfiguration than Group B, and the grafted skin was tender and movable. Conclusion Autoskin grafting in fault hypodermis wound of granulation excision has a better effect than traditional operation.
OBJECTIVE: To explore a new surgical management of multiple fingers degloving injury. METHODS: In 1994 to 1997, 47 cases with multiple fingers degloving injury were sutured by two reverse "s"-type skin flaps on abdominal flank. RESULTS: The skin flaps in 46 cases survived and the wounds obtained primary heal. CONCLUSION: The application of abdominal flank "s"-type skin flap is reliable and convenient in the treatment of multiple fingers degloving injury.
OBJECTIVE To introduce a skin flap containing the middle cutaneous branch of the medial plantar artery. METHODS Microanatomic study was performed on 8 fresh cadaveric feet, the arteries were dissected and infused with methylene blue to observe their vascular distribution and the skin area supplied by the middle cutaneous branch. Furthermore, the clinical application was reported. A local pedicled flap containing the middle cutaneous branch was used to repair the soft tissue defects of the foot in 7 patients, and free cutaneous graft was used to repair the skin defects of the fingers in 6 patients. RESULTS The results showed that the medical plantar artery gave off 3 cutaneous branches to supply the medial aspect of the foot, among which the middle branch was the largest one and anastomosed with the other two branches. The skin flaps used clinically were all survived completely. CONCLUSION Medial plantar cutaneous graft had a reliable blood supply, and it’s one of the best choice in repairing small to middle sized skin defects of the foot and the fingers.