Immediate closure of traumatic upper arm and forearm injuries with the latissimus dorsi island myocutaneous pedicle flap

Simultaneous internal fixation and latissimus dorsi pedicle flap coverage: A reliable regimen for open fractures with accompanying sizable soft tissue loss of the upper extremities

BACKGROUND

The optimal treatment protocol for open fractures with accompanying sizable soft tissue defect of the upper extremities has not been specifically delineated. The authors described the concurrent use of internal fixation and latissimus dorsi (LD) pedicle flap coverage in managing such complex fractures.

METHODS

Twenty patients with open fractures accompanied by large soft tissue defect of the upper extremities (8 clavicle fractures and 12 humeral fractures) were treated by fix & LD pedicle flap. The dimension of the defect, time to fix & flap, post-operative complications, time to union and clinical measurements were recorded.

RESULTS

The mean size of the defect was 132.45 cm2 (range 6-12 x 2-20 cm2). The average time to fix & flap was 9.9 days (range 7-14). Fractures union was achieved in all patients with an average duration of 18.5 weeks (range 14-28). Regarding post-operative complications, distal flap necrosis occurred in 3 patients, retained seroma in 3 and heterotopic ossification in 1. By the Mayo Elbow Performance (MEP) score, 3 cases were considered to be excellent, 6 were good, 7 were fair and 4 were poor. By the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, 2 cases were considered to be excellent, 7 were good, 7 were fair and 4 were poor. The average Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score was 31.29 (range 12.5-58.3).

CONCLUSION

Fix & LD pedicle flap is a reliable regimen for open fractures with sizable soft tissue defect of the clavicle and humerus.

Improving the Versatility of the Latissimus Dorsi Myocutaneous Flap Using the Perforator Propeller Flap Concept

BACKGROUND

The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap is widely used in reconstructive surgery; however, primary donor-site closure remains challenging when a wide flap is harvested.

METHODS

A large latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was elevated and transferred to repair defects. Perforators adjacent to the donor site of the myocutaneous flap were explored using an ultrasound Doppler probe or a technique of extensive exploration along the margins of the donor site wound. A single or multiple perforator propeller flaps based on these perforators were used to close the donor site defect.

RESULTS

From June 2012 to April 2018, this method was used to restore posttraumatic and oncologic defects of the chest wall in 14 cases, upper extremity in 6 cases, and lower extremity in 1 case. The size and width of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps ranged from 16 × 11 cm to 33 × 17 cm (mean area, 335.6 cm) and 9 cm to 20 cm (mean width, 14 cm), respectively. The donor site defect was closed primarily by using a single flap in 11 cases, dual flap in 9, and triple flap in one. Donor site breakdown was not observed in any of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The perforator propeller flap could be used to reconstruct a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap donor site defect, ensuring not only the harvesting of a wide flap but also achieving primary donor site closure, thus greatly improving the versatility and capability of the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap in the reconstruction of large-sized defects.

The Pedicled Latissimus Dorsi Flap Provides Effective Coverage for Large and Complex Soft Tissue Injuries Around the Elbow

BACKGROUND

The pedicled latissimus flap has been shown to provide effective coverage of wounds around the elbow with an average size of 100 to 147 cm² but with complication rates of 20% to 57%. We believe the pedicled latissimus dorsi flap is an effective and safe technique that provides reliable and durable coverage of considerably larger soft tissue defects around the elbow and proximal forearm.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed including all patients from Harborview Medical Center between 1998 and 2012 who underwent coverage with pedicled latissimus dorsi flap for defects around the elbow. Demographic information, injury mechanism, soft tissue defect size, complications (minor vs major), and time to surgery were collected. The size of the soft tissue defect, complications, and successful soft tissue coverage were the primary outcome measures.

RESULTS

A total of 18 patients were identified with variable mechanisms of injury. Average defect size around the elbow was 422 cm². Three patients had partial necrosis of the distal most aspect of the flap, which was treated conservatively. One patient required a secondary fasciocutaneous flap, and another required conversion to a free latissimus flap secondary to venous congestion. Two were lost to follow-up after discharge from the hospital. In all, 88% (14 of 16) of the patients had documented (>3-month follow-up) successful soft tissue coverage with single-stage pedicled latissimus dorsi flap.

CONCLUSIONS

The pedicled latissimus dorsi flap is a reliable option for large and complex soft tissue injuries around the elbow significantly larger than previous reports. However, coverage of the proximal forearm remains challenging.

Soft tissue coverage of the arm

The latissimus dorsi muscle is the main flap used for soft tissue coverage of the arm. It can be tailored to size or tissue type (skin and/or muscle), and can provide function for elbow flexion and extension. When required it can cover both the arm and elbow.

Agricultural injuries to the hand and upper extremity

Agricultural injuries involving the hand and upper extremity are common, debilitating injuries that reflect the significant occupational hazards associated with the agricultural industry. Farm injuries occur in all age groups and are associated with significant resource utilization and treatment costs. Most of these injuries are associated with machinery, including tractors, power take-off devices, grain augers, hay balers, and combine harvesters. Each piece of machinery produces specific injury patterns and a spectrum of bone and soft-tissue injuries that are frequently characterized by the loss of a digit or limb, permanent disability, loss of function, and serious complications such as infection. Management of agricultural injuries includes expedient administration of antibiotic and tetanus prophylaxis, aggressive irrigation, serial débridement, consideration of delayed wound closure, and reconstruction or replantation of amputated digits and limbs, if feasible.

Soft-tissue coverage of the elbow

The elbow requires a durable and pliable soft-tissue envelope. Injuries, infections, or tumors that result in exposed tendon, bone, or implants require expedient soft-tissue coverage. Familiarity with various options for coverage can help tailor treatment to the defect size and minimize donor-site morbidity. In this article, emphasis is placed on muscle and fasciocutaneous flaps that have been shown to have reliable vascularity and predictable outcomes.

Elbow reconstruction using island flap for burn patients

BACKGROUND

Deep burns of the elbow lead to soft tissue necrosis and infection, with exposure of deep structures. Adequate wound coverage of this area requires thin, pliable, and durable tissue, while optimal functional recovery requires early coverage and functional rehabilitation. We have found 3 types of island flaps that provide reliable coverage for the elbow.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed on all patients who underwent flap coverage of an elbow defect at our hospital. The patients' data including age, sex, cause of injury, wound dimensions, timing of flap coverage, postoperative elbow motion, and complications were investigated.

RESULTS

Between 2001 and 2012, 16 patients were treated at our hospital. The mean age was 53.3 years. Three kinds of flaps were performed: 9 latissimus dorsi flaps, 4 lateral arm flaps, and 4 radial forearm flaps. The average defect size was 183.5 cm(2) (range, 28 to 670 cm(2)). Wound coverage was performed at mean duration of 45.9 days (range, 14 to 91 days). The mean postoperative active elbow flexion was 98° (range, 85° to 115°). Partial flap failure occurred in 1 latissimus dorsi flap. Minor complications included partial flap loss (11.8%), hematoma (23.5%), seroma (35.3%), and wound infection (5.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Flap selection for elbow reconstruction is determined by the defect size and the extent of the adjacent tissue injury. Elbow reconstruction using an island flap is a single-staged, reliable, and relatively simple procedure that permits initiation of early rehabilitation, thereby improving a patient's functional outcome.

Reconstruction of upper extremity large soft-tissue defects using pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flaps--technique illustration and clinical outcomes

Reconstruction of large soft-tissue defects of an upper extremity is very challenging due to the unavailability of expendable local muscle. Appropriate soft-tissue restoration is an essential component of such reconstruction treatment protocols, and often requires a vascularised flap to protect the exposed neurovascular and musculotendinous structures. The latissimus dorsi muscle makes an ideal pedicled flap because of its long neurovascular pedicle, large size, ease of mobilisation and expendability. Moreover, the flap provides well-vascularised tissue from a region far from the area of injury. This paper describes the technique for pedicle latissimus dorsi flap transfer and also reports the authors' experience of its application for the acute treatment of massive upper-extremity soft-tissue injuries. 20 patients with large soft-tissue defects over the upper extremity caused by trauma and infection underwent aggressive debridements and immediate soft-tissue reconstruction using a pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap. Successful reconstructions were achieved and primary healing of wounds occurred in all patients, with minor complications. The donor site morbidity was minimal. At a mean of 3.6 years' follow-up (range: 1.5-6 years), all functional results were good and the patients were satisfied with their outcomes.

Free tissue transfer: an advanced strategy for postinfection soft-tissue defects in the upper extremity

Surgical treatment of severe, necrotizing infections frequently leave compound defects that require complex reconstructive procedures. In the upper extremity, local flap coverage is limited because of the size of the lesions. Regarding the results of early microsurgical coverage of complex postinfectious defects of the lower extremity, the goal of this study was to evaluate the role of free tissue transfer in the treatment of severe infections in the upper extremity. Between 1994 and 1999, 24 patients with major defects as a result of severe necrotizing infections in the upper extremity underwent free tissue transfer. Parameters assessed included the success of infection control, flap survival rate, salvage of the extremity, and an outcome analysis by the Disability of Arm-Shoulder-Hand score and a visual analog scale. Patient age ranged from 17 to 75 years (average age, 50.8 years). Previous treatment of 11 patients in outlying hospitals included 4.2 operative procedures and a delay of admission to the authors' unit of 89 days. The average defect size after debridement was 10.0 x 14.4 cm. Twenty-four free flaps including 16 muscle or musculocutaneous flaps, 4 chimeric flaps from the subscapular system, and 4 osteocutaneous flaps were performed for reconstruction. The overall flap survival was 95.8%. One temporalis fascia flap (TPF) was lost as a result of vascular thrombosis, and three flaps underwent successful revision of the anastomoses. Eight patients required further minor surgical treatment. The Disability of Arm-Shoulder-Hand score yielded an average of 41.5 points, which represents a moderate impairment of activities of daily living. Visual analog scale assessment demonstrated an overall high satisfaction (9.5 points; range, 1-10 points). The data demonstrate that even in severe necrotizing infections resulting in complex acute or chronic defects, limb salvage and infection control can be achieved successfully with radical debridement and early free tissue transfer.

The use of early flap coverage in severe open physeal fractures: a report of two cases

Open physeal fractures associated with severe overlying soft tissue loss present significant challenges to the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon. In addition to providing adequate soft tissue coverage, preventing chronic infection, and achieving bony healing, surgical care should attempt to preserve the physis to maintain growth for the best long-term outcomes. Here we present two cases of open physeal disruptions with severe soft tissue loss. In each case, early use of vascularized flap coverage assisted in fracture healing and contributed to preservation of the physis and subsequent bony growth.

Use of the pedicled latissimus muscle flap for upper-extremity reconstruction

Tissue with a blood supply derived from a single constant vascular pedicle may be raised as a flap and rotated within the reach of its blood supply to cover and reconstruct a variety of complex wounds. The latissimus dorsi muscle makes an ideal pedicled flap because of its long neurovascular pedicle, large size, ease of mobilization, and expendability. It can be rotated, with or without overlying skin, to cover soft-tissue defects involving the shoulder, arm, and elbow, or it can be transferred as an innervated muscle to improve shoulder abduction as well as elbow flexion and extension. The major clinical applications of the pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap for upper-extremity reconstruction include use as a bipolar transfer to improve elbow flexion after trauma or brachial plexus injury and as a nonfunctioning myocutaneous transfer for coverage of nerves, bones, and joints after soft-tissue loss due to trauma, tumors, infection, or irradiation.

Treatment of soft tissue problems about the elbow

The treatment of soft tissue problems about the elbow should be directed toward early coverage and functional rehabilitation. The current study reviews some of the available treatment options, with emphasis on the treatment of large soft tissue defects. The role of prophylactic soft tissue coverage also is discussed. For large defects not extending more than 8 cm below the elbow and for prophylactic soft tissue coverage, the authors recommend the pedicled latissimus flap, which provides reliable coverage and a generous blood supply that promotes healing at the site of injury.

Latissimus dorsi pedicle flap for coverage of soft tissue defects about the elbow

Sixteen consecutive patients who were treated with a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap for complex soft tissue defects about the elbow were reviewed. The average defect size was 100 cm2. Thirteen of the 16 patients achieved stable wound healing with a single procedure. Three patients had partial necrosis of the latissimus and required additional coverage procedures. We recommend that the latissimus dorsi flap should not be routinely used to cover defects more than 8 cm distal to the olecranon. The flap should be closely monitored in the first 48 hours, drains should be routinely used at the recipient and donor sites, and the elbow should be maintained in an extended position for the first 5 days after the procedure. The latissimus dorsi flap may also have a prophylactic role in selected patients with compromised soft tissue coverage about the elbow. The pedicled latissimus flap can be performed under loupe magnification and requires no microsurgical skills or equipment.

Emergency management of type IIIB open tibial fractures

We present our therapeutic strategy for the treatment of type IIIB open tibial fractures. It involves emergency internal stabilisation of the bone by locked intra-medullary nailing when appropriate and skin cover using either a pedicled or free muscle flap. Where there is bone loss, a cancellous iliac graft is performed at the same time. Eighteen cases of type IIIB open tibial fractures treated between 1986 and 1995 were analysed. There were 17 men and 1 woman; the average age was 35 years. Each of the 18 patients underwent wound debridement as a primary emergency procedure with no secondary reoperation. Bone fixation was performed by locked intra-medullary nailing (AO nail, How Medica) 6-10 h after trauma. A primary cancellous iliac bone graft was performed in three cases. Cover was applied immediately after nailing (muscular pedicle flaps in 12 cases, muscular free flaps in 6 cases). Local flap cover led to two failures: both these fractures were followed by postoperative complications. The 6 free muscle flaps were successful. The average time to bone union was 6.5 months (range: 3-18.5 months) according to clinical criteria and 9 months (range: 4-27 months) according to radiological criteria. Out of the 18 fractures, 13 were primarily united (72.2% of cases); 3 involved osteitis and 2 nonunion. Sixteen patients were examined again with a mean follow-up of 4.8 years (range: 1-11 years). Six moderate malunions occurred; none needed surgical reoperation. Ankle motion was normal in 7 cases and reduced to below 50% in 9 cases when compared with the healthy ankle. Thirteen patients resumed their previous professional activities. This surgical strategy reduces bone union time, the number of operations and the time spent in hospital; it improves functional results.

The management of war wounds to the extremities

We present our experience in the treatment of war wounds in 174 patients treated in the Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center in Zagreb. The wounds were divided into four categories depending on the type of injury and the extension of the soft tissue defect which showed the differences in primary excision and reconstruction of wounds. Patients were placed in one of two groups depending on their primary treatment and time of definitive reconstruction. Group A comprised 79 patients who were initially treated by plastic surgeons and whose reconstructive procedure was done within five days. Group B comprised 95 patients who were initially treated in a field hospital and referred later to the plastic surgery unit for definitive reconstruction more than five days after the injury. Sixty-nine (87%) of the patients in group A had only one or two debridements before definitive closure and stayed in hospital 20 days or less. In group B, 59 (62%) of the patients required three or more debridements before definitive closure and remained in hospital more than 21 days (p < 0.001). Proper primary treatment and early reconstruction result in significantly shorter duration of hospital stay and lead to more effective rehabilitation and recovery of the patients. A knowledge in terminal ballistics is important in the understanding of the pathophysiology of war wounds.