• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.119-124
• /
• 2007

Purpose: We reconstructed the skin defect of lower legs exposing muscles, tendons and bone with fasciocutaneous sural artery flap and report our cases. Materials and Methods: Between March 2005 and September 2006, 8 cases of skin defect were reconstructed with fasciocutaneous sural artery flap. Defect site were 4 case of ankle and foot and 4 cases of lower leg. The average defect size was $4{\times}4\;cm^2$. There were 5 men and 3 women and mean age was 52.2 years. We evaluated the viability of flap, postoperative complication, healing time, patient's satisfaction. Results: There was no flap failure in 8 cases. But recurrent discharge in 2 cases was healed through several times adequate debridement and delayed suture without complication. Flap edema may be due to venous congestion was healed through leg elevation and use of low molecular weight heparin. Mean time to heal the skin defect was 4 weeks. No infection and recurrence in follow up period. Cosmetic results as judged by patients were that 5 cases are good and 3 cases are fair. Conclusion: Sural artery flap is good treatment method among the numerous methods in the cases of skin defect, with soft tissue exposed, which is not covered with debridment and skin graft. Sural artery flap is useful method for the skin defect of lower legs because it is simple procedure, has constant blood supply and relatively good cosmetic effect.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.492-495
• /
• 2010

Purpose: Facial tumor excision is a common cause of lower eyelid defect in old patients. Many methods have been introduced for the reconstruction of lower eyelid. However, conventional surgical method can cause various complications like scar, ectropion and unnatural color matching. Thus, we introduce a simple and aesthetically acceptable method for the reconstruction of lower eyelid defect. Methods: Three elderly patients with skin cancer in the unilateral lower eyelid were operated by the new method. Following a wide excision of skin cancer, subcilliary incision of lower blepharoplasty was carried out. Elevated skin flap of lower eyelid was redrapped for the correction of defect and the remnant skin from lateral portion of lower eyelid was used for full thickness skin graft (FTSG) to correct the remaining defect. Results: All grafts survived and color match of the graft was excellent without ectropion. Furthermore, wrinkles of the lower eyelid were improved after the blepharoplasty. Conclusion: Lower eyelid defect resulting from wide excision of malignant tumor in old patients could be reconstructed successfully by modifying the conventional lower eyelid blepharoplasty along with FTSG using the remnant skin.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.65-69
• /
• 2006

Purpose: We performed vastus lateralis (VL) muslce or myocutaneous flap for close of the trochanteric skin defect usually happened in paraplegia and report our 6 cases. Materials and Methods: Between March 2004 and August 2005 we performed 4 cases of VL muscule flap with skin graft and 2 cases of VL myocutaneous flap for close of the trochanteric skin defect in 6 paraplegia patients. There were 5 men and 1 woman and mean age was 52.2 years and mean diameters of skin defect was $8.3{\times}8.3\;cm$. The mean follow up period was 18 months. The survival of flap, complications, healing time and patient's satisfaction were evaluated. Results: All flaps were survived except 1 case of margin necrosis. In 2 cases, blood-serous discharges were continued after operation which might be due to dead space and treated with $2{\sim}3$ times debridement and delayed close. Mean time to heal the skin defect was 7.6 weeks. No infection and recurrence in follow up periods. Cosmetic results judged by patients are that 3 cases are good and 3 cases are fair. Conclusion: VL muscle and myocutaneous flap is good treatment method among the numerous methods in treatment-failed cases of trochanteric skin defects of paraplegia patients. This surgical procedure is simple, constant blood supply, good pliability, cosmetic results and also appliable to other skin defect of pelvis girdle like sacrum and ischium.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.115-119
• /
• 2008

Purpose: We reconstructed the skin defect of hands exposing tendons and/or bone with distally based ulnar artery flap and report our cases. Materials and Methods: Between March 2005 and September 2007, 6 cases of skin defect were reconstructed with distally based ulnar artery flap. Defect site were 5 cases of hand dorsal side and 1 case of hand volar side. The average defect size was $3{\times}3\;cm^2$. There were 4 men and 2 women and mean age was 55.5 years. We evaluated the viability of flap, postoperaive complication, healing time, patient's satisfaction. Results: There was no flap failure in 6 cases. But 1 case with recurrent discharge was healed with several times adequate debridement and delayed suture. 1 case with flap edema which might be due to venous congestion was healed with hand elevation and use of low molecular weight heparin. Mean time to heal the skin defect was 4 weeks. No infection and recurrence was found in follow up period. Cosmetic results as judged by patients were that 3 cases are good and 3 cases are fair. Conclusion: Distally based ulnar artery flap is good treatment method among the numerous methods in the cases of skin defect, with soft tissue exposed, which is not covered with debridment and skin graft. Distally based ulnar artery flap is useful method for the skin defect of hands because it is simple procedure, has constant blood supply and relatively good cosmetic effect.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.10-14
• /
• 1998

When covering a skin defect of the finger with a local flap is difficult, a vascular island flap is often used. For a palmar skin defect, it is desirable to add a sensory supply to the flap. This report describes a neurovascular island flap that was used to repair a palmar skin defect, the donor skin coming from the dorsal region of the middle phalanx. This flap is elevated with a vascular pedicle of the palmar digital artery and its dorsal skin branch, including the dorsal digital veins, palmar digital nerve and its cutaneous branches. The advantage of this flap are that it can be transferred with ease and without any tension. No special manipulation is required under a microscope and operation can be performed under a simple nerve-block. There if little possibility that the flap itself undergoes ischemic change or congestion. The disadvantage of this flap are that a skin graft is required at the donor skin site and one palmar digital aretery is lost. We think that this neurovascular island flap is one of the useful methods for skin defects that are difficult to cover with a local flap.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.167-170
• /
• 2019

Full-thickness scalp burns secondary to hair coloring are rare; however, such defects can be large and complex reconstruction of hair-bearing tissue may be necessary. Many skin-stretching devices that use gradual traction have been applied to take advantage of the viscoelastic properties of the skin. A 21-year-old female patient was seen with a burn defect on her occipital scalp leading to exposed subcutaneous tissue after chemical application of hair coloring in a salon. The dimensions of the wound were $10cm{\times}5cm$, and a skin graft or flap would have been necessary to close the defect. Two long transfixing K-wires (1.4 mm) and paired 3-wire threads (23 gauge), which are readily available in most hospitals, were applied over a period of 12 days for trichophytic closure of the defect. The remaining scalp scars after primary trichophytic closure with this skin-stretching method were refined with hair follicle transplantation. This skin-stretching method is simple to apply and valuable for helping to close problematic areas of skin shortage that would otherwise require more complicated procedures. This case shows a relatively unknown complication of hair coloring and its treatment.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.217-221
• /
• 2007

Purpose: Reconstruction of the soft tissue defect exposing Achilles tendon is a formidable challenge because of the paucity of soft tissue and relatively poor blood supply. This article describes the reconstruction of soft tissue defect exposing Achilles tendon using gracilis muscle free flap and split-thickness skin graft. Methods: From 2000 to 2005, four patients with soft tissue defect exposing Achilles tendon and infection were operated using gracilis muscle free flap and split-thickness skin graft. The defect size ranged from 3.5 to 5cm wide and 6.5 to 8cm long. The mean postoperative follow-up was twenty months. Results: All the flaps were survived without necrosis and infection. We obtained the satisfactory results with good functional and aesthetical outcomes. All cases showed good results with the characteristics of a relatively thin flap without additional debulking procedure. Conclusion: Gracilis muscle free flap with split thickness skin graft could be a good option for reconstruction of soft tissue defect of posterior ankle, exposing Achilles tendon with minimal morbidity of the donor site.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.35-40
• /
• 2018

Background: When a skin defect occurs, clinicians must work to restore the original skin quality as soon as possible. Accordingly, an artificial dermis can be used to supplement the wound and prevent severe scar contracture formation. The Terudermis is an artificial dermis that is simple and easy to use. We investigated the effectiveness of the Terudermis in the treatment of facial skin defects by analyzing previous relevant cases treated in our institution. Methods: We retrospectively examined 143 patients who were treated with the Terudermis graft in facial skin defect at Dong Kang General Hospital in 2015 and 2016. The patients' age, sex and location, wound size, complications were analyzed. In addition, the patients were asked to complete a self-satisfaction questionnaire after 18 months from the completion of treatment. The results were compared with that of autologous full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) and split-thickness skin graft (STSG) patients in same period. Results: The mean self-satisfaction scores evaluated by patients were $4.1{\pm}1.0$, $4.0{\pm}1.3$ and $3.5{\pm}1.8$ for the Terudermis graft, FTSG and STSG patients, respectively. With respect to complications, there were fewer incidences of hematoma, partial skin loss and complete skin loss in the Terudermis graft patients. Conclusion: In the present study, the Terudermis, when used to treat post-traumatic facial skin defects, is a good alternative option to obtain satisfactory aesthetic outcomes. Also, the Terudermis grafting is a simple and easy treatment method to perform.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.667-670
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The management of urethral defect represents one of the most challenging clinical problems in uroplastic surgery. Especially for defect after Fournier's Gangrene, optimal management is still a hard problem. During extensive urethral reconstruction, to overcome the poor vascularity due to periurethral scarred tissue and limitation of the choice of local flap, we report our experience with one-stage reconstruction of urethral defect using a longitudinal tubed flap of scrotal skin. Methods: A 72-year-old man with several years of diabetes mellitus history visited for swelling and pain of scrotal area. After diagnosis of Fournier's Gangrene, radical debridement was performed and 6 cm of urethral defect on border of penile-scrotal ventral area was made. Rectangular scrotal skin flap ($6{\times}2.5\;cm$) based on external spermatic fascia was elevated and tubed longitudinally. After transfer the flap to the defect area, end-to-end anastomosis was performed bilaterally. Results: 4 weeks after the operation, the patient started voiding him-self and urethrography showed good fluence of contrast agent. Long term evaluation reveals stable performance characteristics without any complications. Conclusion: We suggest a one-stage reconstruction of extensive urethral defect using a longitudinal tubed flap of scrotal skin. Advantages of this procedures are simple, one-stage reconstruction with the reliable scrotal skin flap based on external spermatic fascial vasculature, and no donor morbidity.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.82-86
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Soft tissue defect can occur on the posterior aspect of the elbow after trauma or fracture fixation. To cover the defect and maintain elbow functions, various flap surgeries including latissimus dorsi muscle flap, lateral arm flap and radial forearm flap can be performed. We present the clinical results of transposition lateral arm flap for coverage of the elbow defect and discuss the cause of posterior soft tissue necrosis after fracture fixation. Materials and Methods: Two patients who had posterior soft tissue defect of the elbow after open reduction of the fractures around the elbow were treated with transposition lateral arm flap. The mean size of skin defect was 20 $cm^2$. The flap was elevated with posterior radial collateral artery pedicle and transposed to the defect area. Donor defect was covered with split thickness skin graft. The elbow was immobilized for 1 week in extended position and active range of motion was permitted. Results: All two cases of transposition lateral arm flap survived without marginal necrosis. The average range of motion of the elbow was 10~115 degrees. Mayo elbow performance score was 72 and Korean DASH score was 23. Conclusion: When elbow fractures are fixed with three simultaneous plates and screws, skin necrosis can occur on the posterior aspect of the elbow around olecranon area. If the size of skin defect is relatively small, transposition lateral arm flap is very useful option for orthopaedic surgeons without microsurgical technique.