Peri-vulvar reconstruction using internal pudendal artery perforator flap in female Fournier's gangrene.

Fournier's gangrene in female patients has low incidence rate but high mortality rate compared with that in males, with many cases resulting in death at acute phase. This is due to the differences in male and female genital anatomy, which should be fully understood by physicians to increase the patient's survival rate. After crossing the acute phase of the disease by an appropriate treatment, it is important to reconstruct vaginal or vulvar defects according to the patient's three-dimensional anatomical structures. Perforator flap based on internal pudendal artery is one of the ideal reconstructive techniques to resolve the aforementioned issue. The authors intend to introduce the distinguishing characteristics of Fournier's gangrene in female patients, and the surgical techniques to reconstruct the defects after the acute phase of disease.

Successful treatment of areolar Fox-Fordyce disease with surgical excision and 1550-nm fractionated erbium glass laser.

Fox-Fordyce disease (FFD) is a rare chronic disorder characterised by persistent inflammation because of the obstruction of apocrine sweat glands, which is a key factor of pathogenesis. The treatment of FFD is known to be difficult, and the modalities of treatment have not yet been widely studied. We report the successful treatment of a case of bilateral areolar FFD by a combination of surgical excision and 1550-nm fractionated erbium glass laser in an 18-year-old woman. The patient presented with a bilateral areolar eruption of multiple, severely pruritic, 3-4 mm skin- to grey-coloured folliculocentric dome-shaped papules. The initial treatment plan was for bilateral surgical excision of the larger and more highly elevated papules via circumferential dermal excision, which was intended to maintain the areolar contour and minimise distortion. A 1550-nm fractional erbium glass laser was then used to control the remnant lesions. The patient was recurrence-free at 14 months after the final laser treatment, and she was fully satisfied with the treatment results.

Scrotal reconstruction using a superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap following Fournier's gangrene.

Fournier's gangrene is a type of necrotising fasciitis around the scrotum and perineum. Because of its aggressive nature, patients should be treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and emergency, radical debridement during the acute phase. After recovering from the acute phase, reconstruction of the scrotal and perineal soft tissue defects is needed and is often challenging. Traditionally, various reconstruction methods have been used, including skin grafts, fasciocutaneous flaps and musculocutaneous flaps, each with its pros and cons. We successfully covered a wide scrotal defect using a superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap, which has not been previously reported for this indication. The design and operative technique are introduced in this study.

Internal pudendal perforator artery-based gull wing flap for vulvovaginal 3D reconstruction after tumour excision: a new flap.

Various skin tumours such as squamous cell carcinoma and extramammary Paget's disease can occur in the vulval area, and reconstruction of the vulval area can be a very challenging task. A retrospective analysis of vulvar reconstruction using the new method 'internal pudendal perforator artery-based gull wing flap' was performed from April 2012 to December 2013. A perforator vessel from the internal pudendal artery was detected with a portable Doppler and marked, and this was the pivot point around which the flap was rotated. The flap was rotated by more than 150°-180° internally, and the labium and the external wall of the vagina were reconstructed with sufficient volume. Anatomical and aesthetic reconstruction of the labium and the vagina was performed without serious complications. Functional and aesthetic vulvar reconstruction can be achieved by using a flap that provides sufficient volume of the labium. Our new technique, the 'internal pudendal perforator artery-based gull wing flap', is good and it can be used to reconstruct a functional and aesthetically acceptable vulvovagina for large defect wound after tumour excision.