Takahiko Moriguchi

Free anterolateral thigh flaps for reconstruction of head and neck defects.

The anterolateral thigh flap is a septocutaneous artery flap based on the septocutaneous or muscle perforators of the lateral circumflex femoral system. Little has been reported about the variations in its vascular anatomy and its application for head and neck reconstruction. We report 22 cases in which this flap was used for the reconstruction of head and neck defects. Based on our clinical and cadevaric experiences, the derivation of the vascular pedicle of this flap has four variations by which the septocutaneous perforators are derived from the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral system and/or from the transverse branch of that system, or for which there are no septocutaneous perforators but there are muscle perforators originating from the lateral circumflex femoral system. Clinically, the vascular variations and the locations of perforators of this system can be determined preoperatively with stereoangiograms or simple angiograms and Doppler audiommetry. The anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap is suitable for reconstruction of defects in an oral floor with tongue and esophageal deficits, scalp defects with dural defects, and for large full thickness defects of the lip. The advantages of this flap are safe elevation, a long and wide vascular pedicle, skin that is generally thin, and good pliability. Even if the skin is thick, a thinner flap can be created by sacrificing a large amount of fatty tissue. Furthermore, the skin territory is very wide and long. The donor defect can often be closed directly with its scar being less noticeable. The disadvantage of this flap is that the anatomy of the pedicle vessles has irregular derivation from the main vessels. This can be overcome, however, by employing preoperative stereoangiograms. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 92: 421, 1993.)

The gluteal perforator-based flap for repair of sacral pressure sores

A gluteal perforator-based flap employing the gluteus maximus muscle perforators located around the sacrum is described. A cadaveric study disclosed the existence of several significant perforators all around the gluteal region. Among these, the parasacral perforators originating from the internal pudendal artery and lateral sacral artery have proven useful for the repair of sacral pressure sores. A total of eight decubitus in seven patients were treated with gluteal perforator-based flaps. There were no postoperative complications, such as flap necrosis and wound infection, with the exception of fistula formation in one case. This flap requires no transection or sacrifice of the gluteus maximus muscle, and elevation time for the flap is short. However, the perforators are located at various sites and thus require some careful dissection.

Free combined composite flaps using the lateral circumflex femoral system for repair of massive defects of the head and neck regions : an introduction to the chimeric flap principle

Chimeric composite flaps combined using microanastomoses consist of two or more flaps or tissues, each with an isolated pedicle and a single vascular source. Free combined chimeric flaps using the lateral circumflex femoral system were used to treat massive composite defects of the head and neck in 10 cases. A combined anterolateral thigh flap and vascularized iliac bone graft based on the lateral circumflex femoral system and the deep circumflex iliac system was the most commonly used combination. An anteromedial thigh flap and a paraumbilical perforator-based flap were also combined with this principal combination. The advantages of this chimeric flap over other osteocutaneous flaps are: (1) The flap is relatively thin and the pedicle vessels are up to 10 cm longer and are wider than those of other flaps for easier harvesting of the flap. (2) It is unnecessary to reposition the patient. (3) The vascular pedicle to the skin can be separated from that of the bone. (4) The donor site is not close to the receipient site. (5) The donor scar is in an unexposed area. (6) The skin territory of this flap is extremely wide. (7) A combined anterolateral and anteromedial thigh flap and vascularized iliac bone graft can be easily obtained as an extended combined osteocutaneous flap. (8) Other neighboring skin flaps, such as a groin flap, a paraumbilical perforator-based flap, or a medial thigh flap, can be combined with this chimeric flap because several major muscle branches to be anastomosed derive from the lateral circumflex femoral system.Chimeric composite flaps using the lateral circumflex femoral system are considered suitable for the repair of massive composite defects of the head and neck. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 92: 411, 1993.)

Free thin paraumbilical perforator-based flaps.

A free paraumbilical perforator-based flap fed by a muscle perforator from the inferior deep epigastric artery and with no muscle was used in 13 patients. Among them, a free thin paraumbilical perforator-based flap with a thin layer of fat, to protect the subdermal plexus of the vessels, was used in seven patients. The dominant pedicle perforator of this thin flap is usually located around the umbilicus and a large flap can be obtained. Its critical length-to-breadth ratio is considered to be 4:3. The advantages of this flap are a long and large vascular pedicle, rare postoperative abdominal herniation, little bulkiness of the flap, and a relatively large skin territory. The disadvantages are technical difficulties in dissection of the perforator and anatomical variation in the location of the perforator. We believe this flap largely overcomes the problems of the conventional rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap.Koshima I, Moriguchi T, Soeda S, Tanaka H, Umeda N: Free thin paraumbilical perforator-based flaps. Ann Plast Surg 1992;29:12–17

Paraumbilical perforator flap without deep inferior epigastric vessels.

&NA; With the introduction of supramicrosurgery, a new paraumbilical perforator flap without a deep inferior epigastric vessel and with very small perforator anastomoses was used for nine patients. The abdominal defects of two patients, the lower leg or foot defects of five patients, and the scalp defects of two patients were repaired with an island perforator flap. The advantages of the paraumbilical perforator flap are as follows: (1) there is a very short operating time for flap elevation; (2) there is no invasion or sacrifice of any rectus abdominis muscle; (3) for middle‐aged, obese patients, the donor site may be the best from the cosmetic point of view; (4) many small recipient vessels to anastomose the perforator exist throughout the body; (5) a thin skin flap with adequate thickness can be created easily with simultaneous removal of fatty tissue; (6) secondary defatting around the perforator can be done by minor surgery under local anesthesia; and (7) a vascularized adiposal flap with adequate thickness can be created easily. This flap seems to be indicated for female patients with defects in the abdominal wall and the lower leg. The island flap can easily resurface abdominal skin defects, such as intestinal fistula or radiation ulcers. The free flap is suitable for covering defects in the lower leg, foot, and scalp temporarily before administration of a tissue expander. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 102: 1052, 1998.)

Superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap for reconstruction of limb defects.

The superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator (SCIP) flap differs from the established groin flap in that it is nourished by only a perforator of the superficial circumflex iliac system and has a short segment (3 to 4 cm in length) of this vascular system. Three cases in which free superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flaps were successfully transferred for coverage of soft-tissue defects in the limb are described in this article. The advantages of this flap are as follows: no need for deeper and longer dissection for the pedicle vessel, a shorter flap elevation time, possible thinning of the flap with primary defatting, the possibility of an adiposal flap with customized thickness for tissue augmentation, a concealed donor site, minimal donor-site morbidity, and the availability of a large cutaneous vein as a venous drainage system. The disadvantages are the need for dissection for a smaller perforator and an anastomosing technique for small-caliber vessels of less than 1.0 mm.

The vasculature and clinical application of the posterior tibial perforator-based flap.

Use of the posterior tibial flap pedicled on the posterior tibial vessels has been described by several authors, but with it there is the major disadvantage of an unavoidable transection of the posterior tibial artery. To overcome this disadvantage, we anatomically studied the perforators from the posterior tibial artery and used posterior tibial perforator-based flaps clinically. Based on our anatomic study of 25 cadaveric legs, the cutaneous perforators were considered to be distributed from the distal to the proximal sides of the lower leg through the medial border of the tibia, and they were classified into three types: septocutaneous perforators mainly located in the distal third of the leg, muscle perforators located in the proximal half, and periosteal perforators in the proximal third of the leg. The average size and number of perforators was 0.8 mm and 3.1 in one leg, respectively. A considerable number were located at sites from 70 to 140 mm superior to the medial malleolus. Based on our clinical cases repaired with flaps, we consider this flap to be useful as a free flap for the repair of defects of the extremities and as an island flap for reconstruction of defects on the anteromedial aspect of the lower leg. The territory of the flap is relatively wide, being 19 × 13 cm. The long saphenous vein can be used safely as the venous drainage system in the case of free-flap transfer. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 90: 643, 1992.)

Ultrastructural Observations of Lymphatic Vessels in Lymphedema in Human Extremities

&NA; Microsurgical lymphaticovenous anastomoses were done on a total of 14 patients. Six upper extremities of six female patients (average age 56.5 years) were operated on with lymphaticovenous anastomoses and were followed up for 17 months or more after surgery (average 25.5 months). Twelve legs of eight patients (average age 44.6 years) also were operated on and followed up for 12 months or more after surgery (average 23.4 months). Among these patients, 33 biopsied lymphatic trunks with lymphedema in 16 extremities of 12 patients were evaluated histologically by light and electron microscopy. Regarding the operative effect in the arms, the decreased circumference of the arms ranged from 2 to 9 cm (average 5.3 cm). The rate of preoperative versus postoperative excess circumference decreased in range from 25 to 94.7 percent (average 65.7 percent). As for the surgical effect in the legs, half the legs showed improvement. These postoperative improvements showed no correlation with the preoperative duration of edema and excess circumference in either the upper or lower extremities. Histologically, in the initial stage of lymphedema, there was destruction of both endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells in the proximal level of the lymphatic trunks. The lumen of some proximal trunks was then occluded by organization with a few small recanalizations, but the distal lymphatics remained patent with minimal destruction of both the endothelial cells and the smooth muscle cells even in the later stage of lymphedema. These results suggest that the occlusions of the lymphatic trunks and degeneration of the smooth muscle cells may start from the proximal ends of the extremities and that the timing of the occlusions and the degeneration of smooth muscle cells may not correspond to the duration of edema. It is also considered that because of the smooth muscle degeneration, the lymph‐drainage capacity of the lymphatic trunks may be remarkably weakened in the proximal lymphatics of the extremities. Therefore, it is suggested that the remaining lymphatic drainage function with the smooth muscle cells may correlate with the postoperative improvement of edema. It is also suggested that the preoperative ultrastructural examination of the lymph‐drainage capacity may be a suitable method for predicting the surgical effect and operative indication for lymphatic edema in the extremities. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 97: 397, 1996.)

New microsurgical breast reconstruction using free paraumbilical perforator adiposal flaps.

&NA; Pedicled transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flaps have generally been used for bilateral breast losses. The major disadvantages of this method are the total or partial loss of the rectus abdominis muscles and various resulting postoperative complications, such as abdominal bulging and lumbar pain. With the recent development of perforator flaps and supermicrosurgery with anastomosis of 0.5‐mm caliber vessels, these serious complications can be overcome with a paraumbilical perforator adiposal flap, without sacrificing the rectus abdominis muscle. The breasts of a 57‐year‐old woman who had undergone a bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy, including silicone prostheses, were repaired simultaneously with this new method using free paraumbilical perforator adiposal flaps. This new method of breast augmentation with a vascularized adiposal flap and without any muscle component is minimally invasive; its advantages are the preservation of the rectus abdominis muscles and the short time elevation for the adiposal flap. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 106: 61, 2000.)

Free rectus femoris muscle transfer for one-stage reconstruction of established facial paralysis.

The free vascularized rectus femoris muscle graft with a long motor nerve was used for reconstruction of unilateral established facial paralysis in one stage. The pedicle vessels were anastomosed to the recipient vessels in the ipsilateral face, and the motor nerve of the muscle, which was led through the upper lip, was sutured to the contralateral facial nerve. The advantages of this one-stage reconstruction as compared with surgery involving second-stage reconstruction are that the reconstruction can be completed in one stage and that the period required for muscle refunctioning after surgery is short. The vascular supply of the rectus femoris muscle can emanate mainly from the lateral circumflex femoral artery. In our cadaveric study, five types of variation were found for origination of a nutrient artery of the muscle. The most common type was one in which the artery derived from the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery (39 percent). The motor nerve of the rectus femoris muscle is derived from the femoral nerve under the inguinal ligament and runs downward through the intermuscular space between the sartorius muscle and the iliopsoas muscle before entering the posteromedial part of the upper third of the rectus muscle. The advantages of using the rectus muscle are as follows: (1) safety and simplicity exist with one main large arterial supply for arterial anastomosis; (2) the length of the femoral nerve (more than 20 cm) is adequate for reaching the contralateral facial nerve for suturing; (3) a simultaneous operation by two teams is possible with the patient in the supine position; (4) the force and distance of contraction are appropriate to reanimate the face; (5) the rectus muscle can be separated as a segment with appropriate lengths, size, and power for replacing lost muscles in the face; (6) the tendinous fascia in both ends provides a reliable point for anchoring sutures, which provides firmer attachment; and (7) no loss of donor leg function occurs.