BACKGROUND: Soft tissue defects in the hand may result from trauma, oncological procedures, or severe infections. This study aimed to introduce an innovative method for repairing soft tissue defects on the palmar side of the distal segment of the affected finger or fingertip. We explored this surgical method and its curative effect on the volar rotation pedicled flap base on a perforator of the palmar digital artery (VRPF-PPDA) for repairing ventral or fingertip soft tissue defects of the distal segment of the affected finger without impairing its main blood vessels.
METHODS: Between June 2019 and January 2021, 13 patients with finger pulp or fingertip soft tissue defects were treated with VRPF-PPDA. Flap survival rate, complication rate, two-point discrimination (2PD), and patient satisfaction were used to evaluate the efficacy of this method. The function of the affected finger was evaluated using the upper limb function evaluation method issued by the Trial Standards for Evaluation of Partial Function of the Upper Extremity of the Chinese Society for Surgery of the Hand of the Chinese Medical Association (CMA) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Head (DASH) score, 6-12 months after the flap-based operation.
RESULTS: Thirteen patients (18 fingers) achieved complete flap survival. The finger pulp flap was full, and no complications occurred. 2PD checks of the flaps revealed that all of them were 4-10 mm in length. According to the Trial Standards for Evaluation of Partial Function of the Upper Extremity of the Chinese Society for Surgery of the Hand of the CMA, hand function was excellent in 12 patients (17 fingers) and good in one patient, with a mean DASH score of 26.05 ± 0.45. Eleven patients selected \"excellent\" on the subjective satisfaction survey, while the other two selected \"good.\"
CONCLUSIONS: VRPF-PPDA surgery is a simple, effective, minimally invasive, and reliable method for repairing soft tissue defects in the distal finger pulp or fingertips. Optimal esthetic reconstruction and anatomical and functional repair can be achieved in fingers repaired using the VRPF-PPDA surgical approach.

To investigate the clinical application value of different flap transfer and repair techniques in adult patients with chronic osteomyelitis of limbs complicated with soft tissue defects. According to the characteristics and defects of 21 cases, different plastic surgery was applied, including debridement, negative pressure device, and tissue flap to cover wound. Among 21 cases of chronic osteomyelitis complicated with local soft tissue defect, 15 patients were repaired with sural neurotrophic musculocutaneous flap transfer, 2 patients were repaired with medial plantar skin flap transfer, 2 patients were repaired with ilioinguinal skin flap transfer, 1 patient was repaired with z-forming wound, and 1 patient was repaired with soleus muscle flap combined with full-thickness skin graft. All the 21 patients underwent bone cement implantation after dead bone osteotomy. Among them, 19 patients underwent bone cement replacement with 3D prosthesis within 6 months to 1 year after surgery, and 2 patients carried bone cement for a long time. Early intervention, thorough debridement, removal of necrotic or infection, and then selecting the appropriate wound skin flap coverage are important means of guarantee slow osteomyelitis wound healing and for providing a possible way to permanent prosthesis implantation subsequently.

UNASSIGNED: To determine the anatomical basis of supramalleolar flap; retrograde versus antegrade and its clinical outcome based on the vascular pattern.
UNASSIGNED: This analytic cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Patients who underwent coverage of soft tissue defects around the foot and ankle with supramalleolar flaps were included. Data collection was through medical records including demographic parameters, mechanism of injury, per-operative findings of perforator origin, and patient interviewing for final assessment. Patients with peripheral vascular disease, unavailability of skin, and radiation injuries were excluded. All analysis was done using SPSS version 25.0.
UNASSIGNED: 49 patients were included in the study from May 1999 to December 2020. The male to female ratio was 37:12. The cause of soft tissue defects was trauma in 9 (38.7%) followed by Infection in 16 (32.6%) and Blast injury in 5 cases (10.2%). The maximum flap size harvested was 20 × 8 cm. In 19 cases the peroneal artery perforator was absent and the flap was based on the perforator of an anterolateral malleolar branch (antegrade) while the remaining 30 flaps were based on the perforator of the peroneal artery (retrograde). Overall, the flap survival rate was 98%; as 1 case had partial necrosis and required skin grafting. However, there were 9 minor complications. In 8 patients, the flap was rotated as a \'delay flap\' . All patients had satisfactory functional outcomes without significant morbidity of the donor site.
UNASSIGNED: The lateral supramalleolar flap provided coverage to almost all regions of the foot and ankle with a cosmetically acceptable donor and recipient site. There were no problems with shoe wear, as only 2 patients required defatting for cosmetic reasons. Microvascular expertise was required for a predictable outcome.

UNASSIGNED: To investigate whether the technical modifications regarding the risk factors related to the partial necrosis of the distally pedicled sural flap could reduce the partial necrosis rate of the flap.
UNASSIGNED: A clinical data of 254 patients (256 sites) (modified group), who used modified technique to design and cut distally pedicled sural flaps to repair the distal soft tissue defects of the lower limbs between April 2010 and December 2019, was retrospectively analyzed. Between April 2001 and March 2010, 175 patients (179 sites) (control group) who used the traditional method to design and cut the skin flap to repair the distal soft tissue defects of the lower limbs were compared. Various technical modifications were used to lower the top-edge of the flap, reduce the length-width ratio (LWR) of the flap and width of the skin island. There was no significant difference in gender, age, etiology, duration from injury to operation, site and area of the soft tissue defect between groups ( P>0.05). The length and width of the skin island and adipofascial pedicle, the total length of the flap and LWR, and the pivot point position were measured and recorded. The top-edge of the flap was determined according to the division of 9 zones in the posterior aspect of the lower limb. The occurrence of partial necrosis of the flap and the success rate of defect reconstruction were observed postoperatively.
UNASSIGNED: There was no significant difference in the length and width of the skin island, the length of the adipofascial pedicle, total length and LWR of the flap, and pivot point position of the flap between groups ( P>0.05). The width of the adipofasical pedicle in modified group was significant higher than that in control group ( t=-2.019, P=0.044). The top-edge of 32 flaps (17.88%) in control group and 31 flaps (12.11%) in modified group were located at the 9th zone; the constituent ratio of the LWR more than 5∶1 in modified group (42.58%, 109/256) was higher than that in control group (42.46%, 76/179); and the constituent ratio of width of skin island more than 8 cm in control group (59.78%, 107/179) was higher than that in modified group (57.42%, 147/256). There was no significant difference in the above indicators between groups ( P>0.05). In control group, 155 flaps (86.59%) survived completely, 24 flaps (13.41%) exhibited partial necrosis. Among them, 21 wounds healed after symptomatic treatments, 3 cases were amputated. The success rate of defects reconstruction was 98.32% (176/179). In modified group, 241 flaps (94.14%) survived completely, 15 flaps (5.86%) exhibited partial necrosis. Among them, 14 wounds healed after symptomatic treatments, 1 case was amputated. The success rate of defect reconstruction was 99.61% (255/256). The partial necrosis rate in modified group was significantly lower than that in control group ( χ 2=7.354, P=0.007). There was no significant difference in the success rate between the two groups ( P=0.310). All patients in both groups were followed up 1 to 131 months (median, 9.5 months). All wounds in the donor and recipient sites healed well.
UNASSIGNED: The partial necrosis rate of the distally based sural flap can be decreased effectively by applying personalized modified technical for specific patients.
UNASSIGNED: 探讨针对远端蒂腓肠皮瓣部分坏死危险因素进行的多种技术改良能否降低该皮瓣部分坏死率。.
UNASSIGNED: 回顾分析 2010 年 4 月—2019 年 12 月，采用改良技术设计并切取远端蒂腓肠皮瓣进行下肢远端皮肤软组织缺损修复的 254 例（256 处）患者（改良组）临床资料，并与 2001 年 4 月—2010 年 3 月采用传统方法设计并切取该皮瓣进行下肢远端软组织缺损修复的 175 例（179 处）患者（对照组）进行比较。通过改良技术降低皮瓣近端位置、减小皮瓣长宽比和瓣部宽度。两组患者性别、年龄、致伤原因、受伤至手术时间、软组织缺损部位及缺损范围等一般资料比较，差异均无统计学意义（ P>0.05）。测量并计算皮瓣瓣部及筋膜蒂长度、宽度，皮瓣总长及长宽比，旋转点位置；根据小腿后方 9 分区明确皮瓣近端位置；术后观察皮瓣部分坏死发生情况、创面成功修复率。.
UNASSIGNED: 两组皮瓣瓣部长度及宽度、筋膜蒂长度、皮瓣总长及长宽比以及旋转点位置比较，差异均无统计学意义（ P>0.05）。改良组皮瓣筋膜蒂宽度明显大于对照组（ t=–2.019， P=0.044）。对照组 32 处（17.88%）、改良组 31 处（12.11%）皮瓣近端位于第 9 区；改良组 42.58%（109 处）皮瓣长宽比超过 5∶1，高于对照组42.46%（76 处）；改良组 57.42%（147 处）皮瓣瓣部宽度超过 8 cm，明显低于对照组 59.78%（107 处）；但上述指标组间差异均无统计学意义（ P>0.05）。对照组术后皮瓣完全成活 155 处（86.59%）、部分坏死 24 处（13.41%），其中 21 处经对症处理后创面愈合、3 处最终截肢；创面成功修复率为 98.32%（176/179）。改良组术后皮瓣完全成活 241 处（94.14%）、部分坏死 15 处（5.86%），其中 14 处经对症处理后创面愈合、1 处最终截肢；创面成功修复率为 99.61%（255/256）。改良组皮瓣部分坏死率低于对照组，差异有统计学意义（ χ 2=7.354， P=0.007）；两组创面成功修复率差异无统计学意义（ P=0.310）。两组患者均获随访，随访时间 1～131 个月，中位时间 9.5 个月。随访期间供受区创面均愈合良好。.
UNASSIGNED: 针对患者自身情况，选择个性化改良技术可有效地降低远端蒂腓肠皮瓣的部分坏死率。.

Background: Digital island flap remains among the most useful types of providing soft-tissues coverage for defect on the fingertip accompanied with underlying structures exposure. Nevertheless, its trends of functional and aesthetic issues such as the limited length of advancement and the limited flap size are the essential disadvantages. The main objective of the study was to assess the clinical effectiveness of dorsal branch skin flap of proper palmar digital artery with distal pedicle in repairing of fingertip soft tissue defect accompanied with underlying structures exposure. Methods: This is a 1-year prospective study, in which 21 patients (24 fingers) with traumatic fingertip skin and soft tissue defects had undergone emergency repair with dorsal skin flap of proper palmar digital artery with distal pedicle. The starting point of the dorsal proper palmar digital artery which is at the connection of distal interphalangeal joint with the digital midline was selected as the rotation point of the surgical skin flap, with an incision area of 1.1 cm × 1.4 cm-2.7 cm × 2.0 cm, the pedicle of 0.8-1.7 cm and disposition of 90°-120° to cover the fingertip. Results: All flaps had completely healed postoperatively. In 2 cases, tension blisters of the flap and partial necrosis were observed, which survived after change in dressing and rational administration vasodilator medication. Patients were followed up to 6 months. Favorable appearance and function were restored, and satisfactory recovery of the sensory functions of the fingers had been achieved. The two-point discrimination of skin flap with anastomosis of nerve could reach 4.5-9.4 mm (mean, 6.80 mm). Conclusions: Repairing the fingertip skin and soft tissue defect of 2nd-5th finger via primary surgical repair with dorsal distal pedicle or proper palmar digital artery skin flap is a good technique. The high survival rate of the flap, the favorable flap\'s appearance, and the satisfactory recovery of the sensory functions of the fingers are among the advantages of this reconstructive technique.

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in lower limb fractures requiring internal fixation remains a challenging scenario with the optimal surgical treatment still debated. This study aims to recommend, and eventually redefine, surgical indications for propeller flaps reconstruction in the distal lower limb, with a particular focus on the presence or not of metalwork.
METHODS: A retrospective study of lower limb soft tissue reconstructions performed between January 2015 and July 2018 was carried out including all patients treated with a propeller perforator flap (PPF) with at least 6-month follow-up. Patients were further divided in 2 groups depending on the presence of metalwork fixation beneath the flap (F group, propeller on Framework; NF group, propeller with No-Framework).
RESULTS: 21 patients were retained (F group, 11 patients; NF group, 10 patients). There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, BMI, ASA scores, comorbidities or defect size. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p<0.05) in the cumulative hospital stay with a mean cumulative hospital stay of 22 ± 9 days in the F group and 12 ± 8 days in NF group. Failures were higher where PPF were used to cover hardware material, with 3 patients requiring a major secondary procedure in F group versus 1 patient in NF group.
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of underlying metalwork significantly reduced the margin for small, day-case revision procedures such as flap readvancement or STSG. This study emphasizes clinical intuition that whilst PPF are a useful and elegant tool in lower limb reconstruction, their use should be limited when underlying metalwork is present.