Protection of femoral vessels and vascular grafts after inguinal lymphadenectomy or femoral bypass by using prophylactic routine sartorius muscle flap shield coverage

Abstract

Background: Groin vascular infections are potentially catastrophic situations as limb loss or even death may occur in a high percentage of patients. A growing evidence support the benefit of muscle flap covering for these non-healing or infected wounds with stressing on their increased efficacy when used prophylactically. Sartorius muscle flap is granted here by its anatomical characteristics.Methods: Fifty Sartorius muscle flaps were done for 39 patients. Flaps were done routinely on prophylactic basis for protection of native femoral vessels or vascular grafts either for oncological or vascular causes in conjunction with inguinal lymphadenectomy or femoral bypass graft. Great care was taken to preserve the first segmental branch to the muscle and avoided its injury.Results: Prophylactic Sartorius muscle flap was done for oncological causes in 46% while for vascular causes in 54% of total flap number. The operative time ranged from 14-20 minutes for every flap with mean 16 minutes with negligible blood loss and no any donor site morbidity. The complication rate was 26%, including mild skin infection 12%, seroma 6%, partial superficial skin necrosis 6%, and hematoma 2%.Conclusions: Sartorius muscle flap has versatile benefits. Its role has been proved as a shield protecting and covering the femoral vessels or vascular grafts and resulted in decreased rate of overall complications. We recommend prophylactic Sartorius muscle flap coverage on routine basis considering it the workhorse of efforts done to vascular protection.