Microsurgical Reconstruction of Extremities by Cutaneous or Myocutaneous Free Flaps

Kim, Sang Soo; Kim, Ju O; Choi, Kyu Woong

Abstract

The authors performed microsurgical reconstruction by free cutaneous or myocutaneous flaps transfer in 104 cases, who were sustained of extensive soft tissue injuries on their extremities by accident. These 104 cases were operated in 6 years from 1980 to 1986 and were consisted of 47 cases of latissimus dorsimyocutaneous free flaps, 36 cases of scapular free flaps, 18 cases of dorsalis pedis sensible free flaps, and 3 cases of groin flaps. Most of them were males(80 cases) and were in third decade(28 cases). The youngest case was 2-year-old baby and the oldest one was 76-year-old woman. The traffic accident was the most frequent cause of injuries(55 cases), and the others were burn, industrial injuries, and cultivator accidents. Most of the microsurgical reconstruction were performed in lower extremity injuries(81 cases), especially below the ankle joints(65 cases). The average dimension(width and length) of free flaps were 7.3Ã—14.3cm in latissimus dorsi free flaps, 5.6Ã—8.2cm in scapular free flaps, and 4.5Ã—5.9cm in dorsalis pedis free flaps. The dorsalis pedis free flaps were successful in 100%, the scapular free flaps were in 83.3%, the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous free flaps were in 89.4%, and the groin free flaps were in 33.3%, And the overall viability of 104 free flaps was 87.5%.