Objective To investigate the clinical application of relaying anteromedial thigh (AMT) perforator flap in resurfacing of the donor defect after anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap transfer. Methods Between February 2012 and December 2015, 23 cases of oral carcinoma underwent radical resection; after resection of lesions, the tongue or mouth floor defects were reconstructed by ALT perforator flaps, and the donor sites were repaired with relaying AMT perforator flap at the same stage. There were 21 males and 2 females,with a mean age of 52.6 years (range, 29-74 years). Sixteen patients had tongue squamous cell carcinoma and 7 patients had buccal cancer. According to TNM tumor stage, 3 cases were classified as T4N0M0, 5 cases as T4N1M0, 7 cases as T3N1M0, 5 cases as T3N2M0, and 3 cases as T3N0M0. The disease duration ranged from 6 to 18 months (mean, 8.8 months). Results The AMT perforators existed consistently in all patients. All flaps survived, and primary healing of wounds was obtained at recipient sites and donor sites. No vascular crisis, wound dehiscence, or obvious swelling occurred. All patients were followed up 6-20 months (mean, 9.4 months). There was only linear scar at the donor sites, and the function of thighs was normal. The color and contour of the flaps were satisfactory. Conclusion The relaying AMT perforator flap is an ideal choice to reconstruct the donor site of ALT flap.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of bipaddled anterolateral thigh perforator flap in repair of through-and-through maxillofacial defect following oral cancer ablation.MethodsBetween January 2008 and December 2016, 42 patients with oral cancer were treated. There were 31 males and 11 females with an average age of 44.5 years (range, 31-68 years). There were 28 cases of buccal mucosa carcinoma, 10 cases of basal cell carcinoma of buccal skin, 3 cases of gingiva carcinoma, and 1 case of recurrent parotidduct carcinoma. The disease duration ranged from 1 to 24 months (mean, 13.5 months). The size of through-and-through maxillofacial defect ranged from 6.0 cm×4.5 cm to 9.0 cm×7.0 cm. All defects were repaired with the bipaddled anterolateral thigh perforator flap. The paddles were adjusted to repair the buccal area. And the size of flap ranged from 7 cm×5 cm to 10 cm×8 cm. The donor sites were closed directly.ResultsThe operation time was 4.5-7.5 hours (mean, 5.5 hours). All flaps healed and the wounds of recipient and donor sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 9-60 months (mean, 22 months). All patients were satisfied with their facial appearance and the speech function. The range of mouth opening was 3-5 cm. Three patients died of recurrence during the follow-up period and the other patients were alive.ConclusionThe bipaddled anterolateral thigh perforator flap is flexible and reliable for the through-and-through maxillofacial defect reconstruction following oral cancer ablation.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility and accuracy of modified three longitudinal and five transverse method in locating perforating branches before anterolateral thigh perforator flap (ALTP) repair.MethodsBetween January 2019 and December 2019, 41 patients with skin and soft tissue defects were repaired with ALTP. There were 31 males and 10 females. The age ranged from 18 to 61 years, with an average of 32 years. The soft tissue defects were caused by trauma in 38 cases, and the time from injury to operation was 3-7 days, with an average of 4 days. The wounds left after excision of scar contracture deformity because of burn in 3 cases. Soft tissue defects located at upper limbs in 16 cases and lower limbs in 25 cases. The size of soft tissue defects ranged from 10 cm×4 cm to 25 cm×12 cm. Before operation, zonesⅠ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳwere formed on the anterolateral thigh by modified three longitudinal and five transverse method. The perforating branches were detected in these four zones by Doppler ultrasound, and the skin flaps were designed according to the wound area. The perforating branches were explored during operation, and the distribution and types of perforating branches in each zone and the relationship between perforating branches and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve were observed. The ALTP with the size of 12 cm×5 cm to 30 cm×10 cm was used to repair the wound, and the donor site was sutured directly or repaired with the flap. ResultsA total of 117 perforating branches were detected in 41 patients before operation, and 111 perforating branches were found during operation, with a false positive rate of 5%. The probability of perforating branches in zonesⅠ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ were 56%, 73%, 76%, and 66% respectively, and the false positive rates were –9%, 7%, 16%, and 4%, respectively. All perforating branches located near the trunk of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, especially in posterolateral area. There were only 1 perforating branch in 6 cases, 2 perforating branches in 12 cases, 3 perforating branches in 10 cases, and 4 perforating branches in 13 cases. The main types of perforating branches in zonesⅠ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ were transverse perforating branches, oblique perforating branches, descending perforating branches, and descending perforating branches, respectively. Partial distal necrosis occurred in 2 cases and complete necrosis occurred in 1 case after operation, and the wounds were repaired with skin grafts. The remaining 38 flaps survived successfully, and the wounds and the incisions of donor sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 3 to 12 months, with an average of 6 months. The appearance and texture of the skin flap were acceptable, and linear scar remained in the donor site.ConclusionIt can simply locate and distinguish the perforating branches and better protect the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve by using the modified three longitudinal and five transverse method before ALTP repair.
Objective To explore the characteristics and clinical application of the anterolateral thigh flap pedicled with the oblique branch in the intramuscular of lateral circumflex femoral artery. Methods The clinical data of 25 patients with skin and soft tissue defects of extremities admitted between December 2020 and April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 16 males and 9 females, aged 14-75 years, with the median age of 43 years. The defect site included 13 cases of hand, 2 cases of forearm, 2 cases of calf, and 8 cases of foot and ankle. The wound area ranged from 6 cm×4 cm to 35 cm×22 cm. Twenty-four patients with trauma were admitted to hospital immediately after injury, and 1 patient with diabetic foot infection was transferred to the hospital after ineffective treatment in other hospital. Flap surgery was performed from 0 to 56 days (median, 22 days) after admission. A total of 26 thigh flaps were harvested in 25 patients, with unilateral flaps in size of 7 cm×5 cm to 40 cm×10 cm. The type, caliber, and location of the perforating branch were recorded during the operation, and the anatomical characteristics of the oblique branch of the intramuscular trunk were mainly observed. The flap harvesting time was recorded; the flap survival and wound healing time were observed; at last follow-up, XIAO Feipeng et al. flap comprehensive efficacy evaluation table was used to evaluate the effectiveness of flap repair from three aspects of donor site, recipient site, and subjective satisfaction of doctors and patients. Results After the oblique branch in intramuscular of lateral circumflex femoral artery was sent out, it ran 2-3 cm obliquely laterally and inferiorly in the intermuscular septum and then entered the vastus lateralis muscle, and sent out perforating branches to nourish the skin. A total of 61 perforating branches were marked in 26 thighs of 25 patients before operation, and 70 perforating branches were found during operation, including 9 transverse branches, 29 descending branches, and 32 oblique branches, all of the oblique branches were musculocutaneous perforators. All 25 patients were followed up 6-10 months, with an average of 8 months. The time of unilateral thigh flap harvesting ranged from 13 to 90 minutes, with an average of 48 minutes. One patient with diabetes developed disturbance of blood supply and complete necrosis of the flap at 1 month after operation, and then the flap was repaired with skin graft; 1 case developed arterial crisis after operation, which survived after timely exploration; and the rest of the flaps survived smoothly. The wound healing time of the recipient site ranged from 10 to 44 days, with an average of 19 days, and the donor site of the thigh healed by first intention. At last follow-up, the color and texture of the flap was good and the sensation recovered to S1-S2. Only linear scar was left in the donor site, no scar contracture, pain, and other discomfort occurred, and no other serious complications occurred. Evaluated by flap comprehensive efficacy evaluation table, the score was 74-93, with an average of 88, of which 10 cases were excellent, 13 cases were good, and 2 cases were fair, with an excellent and good rate of 92%. Conclusion The intramuscular trunk oblique branch is not uncommon, and its trunk course and perforators distribution are regular. To improve the understanding of this type of oblique branch and adopt appropriate methods during operation can improve the success rate of skin flap extraction.
Objective To compare the effectiveness of poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) localization marker combined with mixed reality technology versus color doppler ultrasound guidance for the vessel localization of anterolateral thigh perforator flap. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 40 patients with tissue defects after oral cancer resection who underwent repair using the anterolateral thigh perforator flap between January 2022 and June 2023. According to the different intraoperative positioning methods of the anterolateral thigh perforator flap, they were randomly divided into PEEK group [using PEEK localization marker combined with mixed reality technology based on CT angiography (CTA) data] and color ultrasound group (using color ultrasound guidance), with 20 cases in each group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, etiology, and disease duration between the two groups (P>0.05). The number of perforator vessels identified in the two groups of regions of interest was recorded, and compared them with the intraoperative actually detected number to calculate the success identifying rate of perforator vessels; the distance between the perforating point and the actual puncture point was measured, the operation time of the two groups of flaps was recorded. ResultsIn the PEEK group, 32 perforator vessels were identified, 34 were detected by intraoperative exploration, and the success identifying rate was 94.1% (32/34); in the color ultrasound group, 29 perforator vessels were identified, 33 were detected by intraoperative exploration, and the success identifying rate was 87.8% (29/33); there was a significant difference in the success identifying rate between the two groups (P<0.05). The distance between the perforating point and the actual puncture point and the operation time in PEEK group were significantly shorter than those in color ultrasound group (P<0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 6-30 months, with a median of 17 months; there was no significant difference in follow-up time between the two groups (P>0.05). In the PEEK group, there was 1 case of flap necrosis at the distal edge and delayed healing after trimming and dressing change. In the color ultrasound group, there was 1 case of flap necrosis at 7 days after operation and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap was selected for repair after removal of the necrotic flap. In the rest, the flap survived and the incision healed by first intention. Donor site infection occurred in 1 case in PEEK group and healed after anti-inflammatory treatment. The maxillofacial appearance of the two groups was good, the flap was not obviously bloated, and the patients were satisfied with the repair effect. Conclusion Compared with the traditional color ultrasound guidance, the PEEK localization marker combined with mixed reality technology based on CTA data in vessel localization of anterolateral thigh perforator flap has higher success identifying rate and positioning accuracy, and the flap production time is shorter, which has high clinical application value.