Clinical study on application of gastrocnemius blood vessles in transplatation of free flaps for repairing infected skin defects of seriously injured legs

Abstract

Objective To evaluate clinical application of the gastrocnemius blood vessles as recevier ones to anastomose with free flaps. Methods From June 2005 to July 2011,twenty adult lower limbs were infused with red glue to observe the origin,streching,branches and communication with other blood vessles of the gastrocnemius blood vessles and to measure their outer diameters and pedicle length. Operations were also simulated on these specimens to make the above chacracters of the vessles clear further.CT images of 16 fresh adult lower limbs were got to observe the effects of obstruction of one side of the gastrocnemius blood vessels to the blood supply of the gastrocnemius muscles. Fifty-two free flaps were transplanted to legs with large defects of skin and soft tissues where the gastrocnemius blood vessles were anastomosed with the flaps to supply artery blood and receive vein blood. Results The main blood vessles of the gastrocnemius muscles were medial and lateral gastrocnemius blood vessles. They both origined from the popliteal arteries and communicated with other blood vessles. The pedicles of the medial gastrocnemius blood vessles were 8.0 -13.8 cm in length which averaged 11.1 cm and their outer diameters were (1.8 ± 0.3) mm when they entered the muscles. The pedicles of the medial gastrocnemius blood vessles were 5.4 - 12.3 cm in length which averaged 8.8 cm.The outer diameters of the two accompanying veins were (1.8 ± 0.3)mm when they entered the muscles.When one gastrocnemius blood vessle were obstructed,the gastrocnemius muscles could got enough blood supply by co mmunicating branches between the obstructed vessle and other blood vessles.All the 52 free flaps survived. Through one to two-years follow-up, the defects cured with no infection and the knees' motions were normal. Conclusions With a long pedicle and wide diameter,the medial or lateral gastrocnemius blood vessle can be a reliable alternative used in free flap transplautation for repairing large defects of skin and soft tissues of seriously injured legs with no other choice of blood vessles, which causes unobvious effects to the blood supply of the legs and can simplify the free flap transplantation. Key words: Gastrocnemius blood vessle; Leg; Free flap; Trauma; Transplantation