Using flap or musculocutaneous flap by anatomosis repairs soft tissue defects of serious traumatic shank

Objective To summary and discuss the curative effect and experience of repairing serious and complicated soft tissue defects of traumatic shank by flap or musculocutaneous flap by anatomosis.Methods From October 2009 to December 2011, the wounds of 59 patients suffering from serious and complicated soft tissue defects of traumatic shank were covered by VSD after repeated debridement,when the conditions of the whole bodies were stable and the local acute infection was controlled in the main. Fifty-six patients were repaired by a single flap or musculocutaneous flap attributing to the fresh granulation, three patients were repaired by compound tissue flaps because a single flap was insufficient. Five patients who had no available blood vessels at recipient site were repaired by flaps with bridge cross vascular anatomosis. The compound flaps were no more than 2 pieces, the maximum area of flap was 32 cm × 13 cm, the minimum was 15 cm × 8 cm. Results The flaps of all of 59 cases survived, fifty-seven cases were healed in one stage, two in two stage, one case had complication of infection at donate site due to the hematocele, and was cured by debridement and skin graft. Serious and complicated soft tissue defects of shanks were repaired by reconstruction,damaged limbs were salvaged,the functions of the legs were reserved. Conclusion It is the most effective and irreplaceable way that using flaps and musculocutaneous flaps,by anatomosis with the microsurgery technique, repairs the serious and complicated soft tissue defects of shank, which can shorten course and salvage the damaged limbs. Key words: Leg; Surgical flap; Musculocutaneous flap; Trauma; Microsurgery