ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of the free descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator tissue flap (fascia flap plus skin flap) to repair large soft tissue defects of the extremities and its impact on the donor site.
MethodsBetween January 2013 and February 2015, 9 cases of large tissue defects of the extremities were repaired with the free descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator tissue flap. There were 8 males and 1 female, aged from 13 to 56 years (median, 36 years). The causes included traffic accident injury in 6 cases and crushing injury by heavy object in 3 cases. Soft tissue defect located at the lower limbs in 7 cases and at the upper limbs in 2 cases, including 2 cases of simple tendon exposure, 2 cases of simple bone exposure, and 5 cases of tendon and bone exposure. After debridement, the soft tissue defect area ranged from 13 cm×7 cm to 20 cm×18 cm. The tissue flaps ranged from 14 cm×8 cm to 23 cm×19 cm. The donor site was directly sutured, scalp graft was used to cover the fascia flap.
ResultsAfter operation, partial necrosis of the skin grafting on the fascia flap occurred in 2 cases and healed after dressing change. Arterial crisis occurred in 1 case and the flap survived after anastomosis. The other tissue flaps survived and wounds healed by first intention. The skin grafting healed by first intention in 7 cases, by second intention in 2 cases. The patients were followed up 4-24 months (mean, 10 months). The appearance and function of the tissue flaps were satisfactory, only linear scar was observed at the donor site, which had less damage and no effect on walking.
ConclusionFree descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator tissue flap can repair large soft tissue defect of the extremities. The donor site can be sutured directly, which reduces damage to donor site and is accord with the principle of plastic surgery.
Objective
To investigate the effect of domestic porous tantalum encapsulated with pedicled fascial flap on repairing of segmental bone defect in rabbits’ radius.
Methods
A total of 60 New Zealand white rabbits (aged 6- 8 months and weighing 2.5-3.0 kg) were randomly divided into the experimental group and control group (30 rabbits each group). A 1.5 cm segmental bone defect in right radius was established as the animal model. The porous tantalums encapsulated with pedicled fascial flaps (30 mm×20 mm) were implanted in the created bone defect in the experimental group, and the porous tantalums were only implanted in the control group. X-ray films were observed at the day after operation and at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after operation. Specimens were taken out at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after operation for HE staining and toluidine blue staining observation. The maximum load force and bending strength were detected by three point bending biomechanical test, and the Micro-CT analysis and quantitative analysis of the new bone volume fraction (BV/TV) were performed at 16 weeks after operation to compare the bone defect repair abilityin vivo in 2 groups.
Results
All incisions healed by first intention without wound infection. At 4, 8, and 16 weeks after operation, the X-ray films showed that the implants were well maintained without apparent displacement. As followed with time, the combination between the implants and host bone became more and more closely, and the fracture line gradually disappeared. HE staining and toluidine blue staining showed that new bone mass and maturity gradually increased at the interface and inside materials in 2 groups, and the new bone gradually growed from the interface to internal pore. At 16 weeks after operation, the three point bending biomechanical test showed that the maximum load force and bending strength in the experimental were (96.54±7.21) N and (91.26±1.76) MPa respectively, showing significant differences when compared with the control group [(82.65±5.65) N and (78.53±1.16) MPa respectively] (t=3.715, P=0.004; t=14.801, P=0.000). And Micro-CT analysis exhibited that there were a large amount of new bone at the interface and the surface of implant materials and inside the materials. The new bone BV/TV in the experimental group (32.63%±3.56%) was significantly higher than that in control group (25.07%±4.34%) (t=3.299, P=0.008).
Conclusion
Domestic porous tantalum encapsulated with pedicled fascial flap can increase local blood supply, strengthen material bone conduction ability, and promote the segmental bone defect repair.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of internal fixation on the stability of pedicled fascial flap and the osteogenesis of exceed critical size defect (ECSD) of bone so as to provide theory for the clinical application by the radiography and histology observation.
Methods
The ECSD model of the right ulnar midshaft bone and periosteum defect of 1 cm in length was established in 32 New Zealand white rabbits (aged 4-5 months), which were divided into group A and group B randomly (16 rabbits in each group). The composite tissue engineered bone was prepared by seeding autologous red bone marrow (ARBM) on osteoinductive absorbing material (OAM) containing bone morphogenetic protein and was used repair bone defect. A pedicled fascial flap being close to the bone defect area was prepared to wrap the bone defect in group A (control group). Titanium miniplate internal fixation was used after defect was repair with composite tissue engineered bone and pedicled fascial flap in group B (experimental group). At 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, the X-ray films examination, morphology observation, and histology examination were performed; and the imaging 4-score scoring method and the bone morphometry analysis was carried out.
Results
All rabbits survived at the end of experiment. By X-ray film observation, group B was superior to group A in the bone texture, the space between the bone ends, the radiographic changes of material absorption and degradation, osteogenesis, diaphysis structure formation, medullary cavity recanalization. The radiographic scores of group B were significantly higher than those of group A at different time points after operation (P lt; 0.05). By morphology and histology observation, group B was superior to group A in fascial flap stability, tissue engineered bone absorption and substitution rate, external callus formation, the quantity and distribution area of new cartilage cells and mature bone cells, and bone formation such as bone trabecula construction, mature lamellar bone formation, and marrow cavity recanalization. The quantitative ratio of bone morphometry analysis in the repair area of group B were significantly larger than those of group A at different time points after operation (P lt; 0.05).
Conclusion
The stability of the membrane structure and the bone defect area can be improved after the internal fixation, which can accelerate bone regeneration rate of the tissue engineered bone, shorten period of bone defect repair, and improve the bone quality.
Objective To investigate the effect of free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap in correcting the hemifacial atrophy. Methods From January 1997 to May 2006, 35 patients suffering from hemifacial atrophy were corrected with microvascular anastomotic free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap and other additional measures according to the symptoms of the deformities. There were 11 males and 24 females, aging 1547 years. The locations were left in 12cases and right in 23 cases. The course of disease was 4 to 28 years. Their hemifacial deformities were fairly severity. Their cheeks were depressed obviously. The X-ray films and threedimensinal CT showed the 28 patients’ skeletons were dysplasia. The size of adipofascial flap ranged from 8 cm×7 cm to 20 cm×11 cm. Donor sites weresutured directly. Results Recipient site wound of all patients healed by first intention. All adipofascial flaps survived. The donor sites healed well and no adiponecrosis occurred. Thirty-five cases were followed up for 6 months to 8 years. The faces of all patients were symmetry, and the satisfactory results were obtained. There were no donor site dysfunction. Conclusion The anterolateral thigh adipofascial flapprovides adequate tissue, easytosurvive, no important artery sacrificed and the donor scar ismore easily hidden. Combining with other auxiliary methods, it can be successfully used to correct the deformity of hemifacial atrophy.
Objective To evaluate a modified anterolateral thigh fascial flap designed for the treatment of the soft tissue defects in the forearmsand hands. Methods From September 2000 to December 2003, a modified anterolateral thigh fascial flap combined with the intermediate split thickness skin graft was applied to the treatment of 13 patients with the soft tissue defects in the forearms or the hands. There were 8 males and 5 females, aged 19-43 years (average, 27.6 years). Three patients had a mangled injury, 4 had a belt injury, and 6 had a crush injury; 6 patients had their tissue defects on the palm side of the forearm, 6 had their tissue defects on the dorsal side of thehand, and 1 had the defect in the index finger (dorsal side of the hand). The tissue defects ranged in size from 17.5 cm×7.7 cm to 4.6 cm×3.4 cm.In addition, 4 of the patients had an accompanying fracture in the forearm or the hand,and the remaining 9 had an extenor tendon injury. All the patients underwent emergency debridement and reposition with an internal fixation for the fracture; 3-5 days after the repair of the injured nerves, muscle tendons and blood vessels, the tissue defects were repaired with the anterolateral thigh fascial flap combined with the intermediate split thickness skin graft. Results No vascular crisis developed after operation. All the flaps survived except one flap that developed a parial skin necrosis (2.0 cm ×1.0 cm) in the hand, but the skin survived after another skingrafting. The follow-up for 3-12 months revealed that all the flaps and skin grafts had a good appearance with no contracture of the skin. According to the evaluation criteria for the upper limbs recommended by the Hand Society of Chinese Medical Association, 9 patients had an excellent result, 2 had a good result, 1 had a fair result, and 1 had a poor result, with a good/excellence rate of 85%. Conclusion The modified anterolateral thigh fascial flap combined with the skin graft is one of the best methods for the treatment of the soft tissue defects in the forearms and the hands. This method has advantages of no requirement for a further flap reconstruction, no skin scar or contracture in the future, easy management for the donor site, and less wound formation.
Objective To compare two kinds of myofascial flap encapsulating adi pose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) in adi pogenic efficacy in vivo, and to provide experimental basis for the efficient transplantation of free adi pose tissue. Methods ADSCs were isolated from the subcutaneous adipose tissue in the neck of 10 New Zealand rabbits (aged 3-4 months old, male and female, weighing 2.0-2.5 kg), and primary culture and subculture of ADSCs were conducted. When the cells at passage 3 covered 70%-80% of the bottom of the culture flask, BrdU (10 μg/mL) was appl ied to label the cells for 48 hours before performing immunofluorescence staining. Oil red O staining observation was conducted to thosecells 2 weeks after being induced towards adi pocyte, al izarin red staining observation was performed 3 weeks after being induced towards osteoblast, and alcian blue staining was conducted 2 weeks after being induced towards chondrocyte. Besides, after being induced towards adipocyte for 2 weeks, 1 × 107 ADSCs/piece at passage 3 labeled by BrdU was seeded into Col I (10 mm × 10 mm × 5 mm/piece) to prepare cell carrier complex. The experiment was divided into two groups: group A in which vascular pedicled dextral latissimus dorsi fascial flap was adopted to encapsulate the complex; group B in which dextral gluteus maximus fascial flap with no specific vessel pedicle was appl ied to encapsulate the complex. Rabbits in each group went through autogenous ADSCs transplant and self control. The implants were dislodged 8 weeks after operation, HE staining and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to testify cambium, the wet weight and micro vessel count of the cambium in each group were tested, immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the origin of cambium and microvascular endothel ium. Results The nucleus of ADSCs positive for BrdU label ing showed green fluorescence under fluorescence microscope, with the positive label ing ratio of ADSCs above 90%. For ADSCs at passage 3, the formation of red l ipid droplets within cells was observed 2 weeks after being induced towards adipocyte, red calcium nodules were evident 3 weeks after being induced towards osteoblast, and highly congregated cell mass positive for alcian blue staining appeared 2 weeks after being induced towards chondrocyte. Eight weeks after operation, neogenetic blood vessel grew into scaffolds and no obvious fibreencapsulation was observed in group A, while few blood vessel grew into scaffolds in group B. The wet weight of cambium in group A and B was (0.149 5 ± 0.017 3) g and (0.095 3 ± 0.012 7) g, respectively, indicating there was a significant difference between two groups (P lt; 0.01). HE staining showed the formation of neogenetic adipose tissue and the growth of micrangium in the implant, and the degradation and absorption of scaffold. The micro vessel count of group A and B was 31.2 ± 4.5 and 19.3 ± 2.6, respectively, indicating there was a significant difference between two groups (P lt; 0.01). Eight weeks after operation, the immunofluorescence staining of cambium showed that the cell nucleus of regenerated adi pocytes and partial capillary endothel ium in groups A and B presented green fluorescence. Conclusion ADSCs encapsulated by vascular pedicled latissimus dorsi fascial flap and collagen protein scaffold complex has a higher adi pogenic efficacy in vivo than the gluteus maximus fascial flap with no specific vessel pedicle.
