Reconstrucción de antebrazo con colgajo DIEP. Caso clínico / DIEP flap for forearm reconstruction. Case report

Las heridas complejas del antebrazo con fracturas asociadas y pérdida circunferencial de piel, suponen un doble reto reconstructivo. Mostramos el tratamiento de una paciente con lesiones combinadas en el miembro superior tras atrapamiento por rodillos fríos industriales mediante el uso de un colgajo libre de perforante del eje epigástrico inferior profundo (DIEP), tras tratamiento de la fractura articular de la extremidad distal de radio guiado por artroscopia. Conseguimos la estabilización de las fracturas y la cobertura completa del defecto. El colgajo DIEP permite la cobertura de áreas extensas con escasa morbilidad en la zona donante y con un correcto resultado estético (AU)

Complex injuries in upper limb like fractures and forearm circumferential skin loss involving are a double reconstructive challenge. We show a case management in a patient with combined injuries in the upper limb because of entrapment by industrial rollers, using deep inferior epigastric perforator free flap (DIEP) after treatment of an articular fracture of distal radius guided by arthroscopy. Was achieved stabilization of fractures and complete coverage of the defect, with good acceptance of the donor site by the patient. DIEP flap provides coverage for large areas with low morbidity and good aesthetic result (AU)

[How to discuss death with a dying child: a story can help?]. / Comment parler de la mort à un enfant en fin de vie: un conte peut-il être une aide?

Is it necessary - and possible - to discuss death with a child in palliative phase? How should one approach the subject? A recent Swedish study demonstrated the benefits for parents who discussed with their child his or her imminent death, and raised the question of the role nursing can play to help parents. The mother of one child treated in our unit recently wrote a story 48 hours before the child's death. The story served to broach a number of recurrent questions often raised by dying children and their families: fear of the unknown, of being replaced, the inevitability of death, grief, and fear of being forgotten... The story was given to 13 families with dying children. In order to evaluate the story's impact on families and to determine whether a document which stimulates dialogue should continue to be given to parents, we asked that they fill out a questionnaire. Fifty-five percent of parents answered, and confirmed that the story was experienced as a positive thing and helped parents to talk with their children. This study raises many questions and should be part of a global accompaniment strategy. A review of medical, general and children's literature, as well the results of our study, lead us to conclude that the medical body should lend its full support to families who wish to engage in this dialogue with their children.

The medial sural artery perforator free flap.

The medial sural artery supplies the medial gastrocnemius muscle and sends perforating branches to the skin. The possible use of these musculocutaneous perforators as the source of a perforator-based free flap was investigated in cadavers. Ten legs were dissected, and the topography of significant perforating musculocutaneous vessels on both the medial and the lateral gastrocnemius muscles was recorded. A mean of 2.2 perforators (range, 1 to 4) was noted over the medial gastrocnemius muscle, whereas in only 20 percent of the specimens was a perforator of moderate size noted over the lateral gastrocnemius muscle. The perforating vessels from the medial sural artery clustered about 9 to 18 cm from the popliteal crease. When two perforators were present (the most frequent case), the perforators were located at a mean of 11.8 cm (range, 8.5 to 15 cm) and 17 cm (range, 15 to 19 cm) from the popliteal crease. A series of six successful clinical cases is reported, including five free flaps and one pedicled flap for ipsilateral lower-leg and foot reconstruction. The dissection is somewhat tedious, but the vascular pedicle can be considerably long and of suitable caliber. Donor-site morbidity was minimal because the muscle was not included in the flap. Although the present series is short, it seems that the medial sural artery perforator flap can be a useful flap for free and pedicled transfer in lower-limb reconstruction.

Reconstrucción microquirúrgica del pie / Microsurgical reconstruction of the foot

Las indicaciones de los colgajos libres microquirúrgicos en la reconstrucción de defectos de cobertura cutánea en el pie se han visto reducidas considerablemente con el desarrollo de nuevos colgajos regionales de flujo retrógrado. Se presenta una serie de 46 casos de cobertura del pie mediante colgajos microquirúrgicos. Se consideraron las siguientes indicaciones de colgajo libre: defectos muy extensos o en los que otras técnicas más sencillas no puedan ser usadas (15 casos); defectos amplios subtotales de planta del pie (10 casos); osteomielitis tarsianas (16 casos); pie diabético isquémico grave (cinco casos). Se transfirió un colgajo muscular del músculo rectus abdominis en 26 casos, del músculo gracilis en 12, colgajo lateral del antebrazo en cuatro, del músculo latissimus dorsi en dos, y del músculo serratus anterior en otros dos. No hubo complicaciones vasculares del colgajo en ningún paciente. Hubo 12 casos de infección de la herida del pie (26 por ciento). Se consiguió el cierre primario de la herida en todos los pacientes (AU)