J Korean Vasc Surg Soc.  1998 Apr;14(1):112-118.

The Application of Tensor Fascia Lata Flap to Cover the Ruptrued Femoral Artery after Radiation Therapy: 1 case report

• Kim WY
• Kim HC

Abstract

The surgeon is, at times, confronted with the problems of covering large defects of the soft tissue of the groin area, which result from trauma, ablative surgical treatment or prosthetic graft infection. Coverage is a challenging problem particularly when the wound is complicated by radiation. Defects of the soft tissue, however extensive, that do not have any vital structures exposed could be easily handled with skin grafting, provided there is a healthy vascular bed after surgical debridement and frequent dressing changes. The complicated wounds should be covered as expeditiously as possible to avoid desiccation and weakening of the vessel wall and, in the presence of vascular prosthesis, to avoid contamination and graft thrombosis. Exposure of the femoral vessels or prosthetic grafts requires urgent coverage with well vascularized muscle and muculocutaneous flaps based on well-defined vascular pedicle. Reonstruction with well-vascularized tensor fascia lata flap has enabled us to maintain the patency of native femoral artery and a viable distal lower extremity in a male patient, who had a sudden ruptured femoral artery after radiation therapy on burned groin.

Keyword

Rupture of femoral artery; Radiation therapy; Tensor fascia lata flap

MeSH Terms

Bandages
Blood Vessel Prosthesis
Burns
Debridement
Desiccation
Fascia Lata*
Fascia*
Femoral Artery*
Groin
Humans
Lower Extremity
Male
Skin Transplantation
Thrombosis
Transplants
Wounds and Injuries