Repair of a severe palm injury with anterolateral thigh and ilioinguinal flaps: A case report.

BACKGROUND: In daily life and work, there are more and more patients with trauma to the hand, which often results in skin and soft tissue defects. Although there are many repair methods, the function and appearance of the fingers will be adversely affected if the repair is inadequate. CASE SUMMARY: In the present report we describe an 18-year-old male patient whose right hand was mangled by a machine. X-ray imaging showed that a right hand bone (middle finger) was absent and the alignment was poor. After hospitalization, he was diagnosed with a severe right hand injury, skin and soft tissue defects, partial finger defects, and a skin degloving injury. He underwent reconstructive surgery with anterolateral thigh and ilioinguinal flaps. After two repair operations, satisfactory results were obtained, including good fracture healing, good skin flap shape, and good wrist joint function. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the good effect of anterolateral thigh and ilioinguinal flaps repair technique on severe palm injury.

Immune responses following mouse peripheral nerve xenotransplantation in rats.

Xenotransplantation offers a potentially unlimited source for tissues and organs for transplantation, but the strong xenoimmune responses pose a major obstacle to its application in the clinic. In this study, we investigate the rejection of mouse peripheral nerve xenografts in rats. Severe intragraft mononuclear cell infiltration, graft distension, and necrosis were detected in the recipients as early as 2 weeks after mouse nerve xenotransplantation. The number of axons in xenografts reduced progressively and became almost undetectable at week 8. However, mouse nerve xenotransplantation only led to a transient and moderate increase in the production of Th1 cytokines, including IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha. The data implicate that cellular immune responses play a critical role in nerve xenograft rejection but that further identification of the major effector cells mediating the rejection is required for developing effective means to prevent peripheral nerve xenograft rejection.

Posterior Thigh Flap Pedicled on the Cutaneous Vessels Arising From the Popliteo-posterior Intermediate Artery: A Report of 5 Cases.

Surgical repair of soft tissue defects of the knee and leg remains challenging. Using a case study approach, the anatomy of the popliteo-posterior intermediate cutaneous artery was examined, and a reverse island flap method was developed and implemented. After obtaining informed consent, 5 patients (1 woman, 4 men, age range 31 to 57 years) underwent the experimental use of a reverse island flap with a posterior thigh flap pedicled on the cutaneous vessels arising from the popliteo-posterior intermediate artery to repair soft-tissue defects of the knee and leg. The defects were caused by burned skin below the knee (n = 1), progressive skin necrosis in the knee after fracture surgery (n = 2), and skin infections associated with diabetes mellitus (n = 2). Skin defect sizes ranged from 15 cm x 5 cm to 30 cm x 12 cm. These large defects did not heal spontaneously; wound duration ranged from 1 week to 1 year, and all patients had refused defect repair with free flaps. Patients received posterior thigh flaps pedicled on the popliteo-posterior intermediate artery with areas ranging from 17 cm x 6 cm to 25 cm x 12 cm. All patients were treated with antibiotics and local dressings (iodoform and alcohol) changed daily post surgery, and blood supply was monitored by assessing the texture and color of the flap and venous regurgitation (ie, vein drainage disturbance). Four (4) of the five flaps survived completely. In 1 patient, partial survival of the flap, which had a good blood supply despite a venous circulation disorder, occurred: in this case, complete survival was achieved after treatment with a retrograde fascial flap and skin grafting. The appearance and texture of all flaps were satisfactory (ie, patients underwent only 1 operation, healing time was approximately 2 weeks, flap quality was close to normal skin, the donor site closed directly, and the shape and function of the knee and leg recovered well). No donor site abnormality was observed, and no postsurgical infection occurred. More research is needed, but the use of a reverse island flap with a posterior thigh flap pedicled on the cutaneous vessels arising from the popliteo-posterior intermediate artery may be a feasible option to repair soft tissue defects of the knee and leg.