Repairing of limb extremity wounds with free descending genicular artery perforator flap without saphenous vein

Abstract

Objective To explore the surgical technique and the efficacy of free descending genicular artery perforator flap without saphenous vein for tissue defect. Methods 18 cases of extremity tissue defect were involved in this study from August 2010 to April 2014, including 16 males and 2 females with an average age of 32.4 years (8 plantar or heel soft tissue defect, 10 back of hand or palm soft tissue defect). 2 old injury cases that had soft tissue defect after scar release were treated by free flaps and the other 16 were open injury with infection, among which 5 cases were combined with fractures or bone defect. Sizes of the skin and soft tissue defect were 2.0 cm×8.0 cm to 9.0 cm×12.0 cm. All wounds were treated by free descending genicular artery perforator flap from the contralateral limb. Medial femoral cutaneous nerve was kept in flaps as far as possible. The projection points of descending genicular artery perforator and saphenous vein were detected by Doppler, then the flaps were cut with reverse approach, and saphenous vein and saphenous nerve were preserved. Results All 18 flaps were survived and all cases were followed up for 3 to 30 months (average, 10.3 months). The flap sizes varied from 2.5 cm×9.0 cm-9.5 cm×13.0 cm. 2 cases with bone defect were healed 3 months later without infection, and the other 3 cases with fractures were healed 2-3 months after operation. The two point's discrimination distance was 7.0-12.0 mm on the flap. The disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire score averaged 51, and the mean Japanese Orthopaedic Association's foot rating scale was 70.5. Most patients were satisfied with appearance of the recipient and donor sites, among which 5 cases had skin-graft on the donor sites, and the other 12 cases had small scars on the donor sites. Poor healing was detected in 1 case on the thigh which was healed 3 weeks later. There was no paresthesia and rash on the donor sites. The mean distance between projection points of descending genicular artery perforator and saphenous vein was 3.7 cm. Conclusion Free descending genicular artery perforator flap without saphenous vein is an optimal therapy for the extremity tissue defect, which has the advantage of covert donor site, less invasion, less variation of perforator, and could recover the skin sense of recipient site. Key words: Surgical flaps; Wounds and injuries; Extremities