Application of reverse anterolateral thigh flap with venous superdrainage

Abstract

Objective To investigate the application effect of venous superdrainage to repair the wound around the knee joint with reverse anterolateral thigh flap. Methods From February, 2010 to August, 2015, 7 patients with wound around the knee joint were treated with reverse anterolateral thigh flap. The size of wound ranged from 15 cm × 6 cm to 20 cm × 10 cm..Which bone and joint ligament exposed to air..With outside pressure and venous superdrainage, it can effectively solve the problem of venous stagnation, anastomosing their veins accompanied with the lateral femoral circumflex artery descending branch with the veins in the neighborhood, when repaired the wound with reverse anterolateral thigh flap..The size of the flap ranged from 17 cm × 8 cm to 23 cm × 12 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly or covered with full-thickness skin graft. Results All the 7 flaps survived completely without vascular crisis and swelling. These flaps had abundant blood supply an good appearance, soft texture, normal skin color, no pigmentation. Conclusion With venous superdrainage, it can effectively solve the problem of venous stagnation of reverse anterolateral thigh flap, and improve the survival rate of flaps. Key words: Anterolateral thigh flap, reverse; External pressure; Superdrainage; Descending branch, lateral femoral circumflex artery; Wound repair