Vincent Casoli

reverse Dorsal Digital and Metacarpal Flaps: A Review of 27 Cases

Reverse dorsal digital and metacarpal flaps use the dorsal skin of the digital or metacarpal areas, and they are based on the arterial branches anastomosing the volar and dorsal arterial networks of the fingers. These flaps are transposed as reverse island flaps. Dissection of the flap is easy, fast, and preserves the collateral nerve and artery to the fingertip. A series of 27 flaps is reviewed, with more than 6 months of follow-up. Skin defects in all patients were located over or beyond the proximal interphalangeal joint as far as the fingertip and were combined with bone, joint, or tendon exposure. The flaps we used were reliable, and a joint or extensor tendon reconstruction could be performed at the same time. Patients were discharged the day after surgery and allowed to mobilize the finger early. No flap necrosis was observed, and donor site morbidity was minimal; primary closure or a skin graft was used in all patients. These flaps combine the advantages of an extended skin paddle and a versatile pivot point on the phalanx, and they allow coverage of wide and distal defects. When conventional local flaps are inadequate, this fast and simple procedure should be considered for its reliability and low associated morbidity.

Management of severe hand wounds with integra® dermal regeneration template

We report our experience with the use of Integra® for the management of severe traumatic wounds of the hand. Fifteen patients were treated with follow-up ranging from 10 to 37 months. Wounds were associated with an osseous and/or joint and/or tendon exposure. Following Integra® placement, patients were managed with dressings and subsequent split-thickness skin grafting an average of 26 days later. Integra® was successful in achieving durable, functional and aesthetic definitive coverage in 13 of 15 applications while allowing a satisfying pollicidigital prehension. Regarding our clinical experience, Integra® is an effective technique to deal with severe wounds of the hand with exposed tendon and/or bone and/or joint, even in the absence of paratenon or periosteum. This can potentially lessen the need for local rotational or free flap coverage and should be taken into consideration as a viable alternative in traumatic reconstruction of the hand.

Soleus-fibula free transfer in lower limb reconstruction.

Free-fibula transfer has been widely used since 1975. Many modifications have been described; one of them, association of the lateral part of the soleus muscle to the fibula, is reported here through a 14-case series. This composite flap is intended for extensive defects of the lower limbs involving bone and soft tissues. The flap is considered by the authors to be reliable, with a constant vascularization. A 20-cm length of fibula may be harvested associated either with the lateral part of the soleus muscle or with the whole muscle. Moreover, the soleus muscle represents a vascular security inasmuch as it preserves both medullar and periosteal bone supply. Fourteen cases have been performed by the authors since 1978 and could be reviewed with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Average length of bone defect was 12 cm, and average length of fibula harvested was 18.6 cm. Soft-tissue defect was always associated and ranged from 8 × 4 cm to 20 × 30 cm. The fibula was harvested with the lateral part of the soleus muscle in 10 cases and with the whole soleus muscle in 4 cases. One total treatment failure was reported and was related to intimal degenerative lesions on veins used for arteriovenous bypass. In other patients, mean time for bone healing was 11 months. Patients could walk again, on average, 17 months after reconstruction. Sequelae at the donor site were minimal.

Internal use of n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate (Indermil) for wound closure: an experimental study.

n-Butyl 2-cyanoacrylate glue (Indermil) was used for the closure of dorsal wounds on rabbits. A 4-cm-long and 1-cm-wide laceration was created bilaterally on the back of 15 rabbits. One side was closed with absorbable 2-0 subcutaneous sutures and fast absorbable 3-0 skin sutures, whereas the other side was closed with cyanoacrylate glue applied on both deep and superficial tissues. A partial wound dehiscence occurred on the glue side in one animal at 2 weeks. The animal was killed at this time and considered a bad result in the glue group. In all other animals, no seroma, partial dehiscence, or wound infection occurred. Histopathologic analysis revealed that Indermil induced edema and a mild acute inflammatory reaction and resorbed almost completely within 2 months when applied to well-vascularized tissues. The application of glue on the cutaneous wound edges is a fast and easy procedure that does not seem to delay or inhibit the healing process or its quality.

Les anastomoses nerveuses terminolatérales. Rapport clinique préliminaire à propos de dix cas

Resume Letude de la biologie de la regeneration nerveuse permet de mieux comprendre les notions essentielles que sont le neurotropisme, le guidage de contact et le neurotrophisme. Ces trois principes sont importants pour apprehender la reparation nerveuse conventionnelle (sutures simples et greffes nerveuses) mais aussi les anastomoses nerveuses terminolaterales qui sont des moyens possibles de traitement dune perte de substance nerveuse. Il sagit alors de realiser, lorsquil existe une perte de substance nerveuse, lanastomose du segment distal dun nerf sectionne sur la face laterale dun nerf sain de voisinage, et ceci avec ou sans epinevrectomie. Le segment distal du nerf sectionne joue un role primordial dans la regeneration nerveuse. Les auteurs rapportent leur experience clinique encore recente concernant cette technique (dix ans) et en discutent les resultats preliminaires. Lanastomose nerveuse terminolaterale peut etre un moyen de reparation nerveuse. Elle ne remplace pas la greffe nerveuse conventionnelle mais dans certains cas, plutot que de ne rien faire et pour quelques minutes seulement, il est preferable danastomoser un nerf promis a labandon sur la face laterale dun nerf sain de voisinage.

The middle collateral artery: anatomic basis for the “extreme” lateral arm flap

The vascularization of the posterolateral area of the arm is supplied by the terminal branches of the deep brachial artery [middle collateral artery (MCA) and posterior radial collateral artery]. Their anatomy has been a field of confusion for a long time. An extended lateral arm flap, named the “extreme” lateral arm flap, supplied by these branches and dissected as a retrograde island flap has been proposed as an alternative for large compound defects of the distal forearm. We carried out an extensive anatomic study of the “extreme” lateral arm flap on 69 upper limbs: 54 fresh injected with colored latex, 10 embalmed and 5 radiographed after Micropaque injection. Two origin levels of the MCA were found: a proximal one (37%) above the radial groove, and a distal one (63%) at the level of the groove. The deep brachial artery always bifurcated after the origin of the MCA into a posterior radial collateral artery (PRCA) and anterior radial collateral artery (ARCA). Indeed in our dissections, after the origin of the MCA from the deep brachial artery, there was always a common trunk named the radial collateral artery (RCA) which bifurcated into the ARCA and PRCA. In all dissected arms we always found the MCA anastomosed in a transverse pattern with the inferior ulnar collateral artery (IUCA), contributing to the anastomotic circle of the elbow. This circle represents the unique vascularization source of the reverse “extreme” lateral arm flap.

The retrograde neurocutaneous island flap of the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve: anatomical basis and clinical application

It is well known that a cutaneous artery is constantly located near a cutaneous peripheral nerve, forming a vascular plexus around it. This vascular axis can be either a true artery or an interlacing network, ensuring the vascularization of the nerve and giving off several neurocutaneous perforators to the skin. The anatomy of the accompanying arteries of the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve (DBUN) and their relationships with the dorsal branch of the ulnar artery (DBUA) were investigated in 22 fresh upper limbs injected with colored neoprene latex. A constant perineural vascularization of the terminal branch of the DBUN was observed in the fourth web space, connected distally with the corresponding dorsal metacarpal or palmar digital arteries. Our findings therefore provide anatomical bases for a new neurocutaneous island flap. Moreover, they allow us to describe a precise surgical technique in order to raise this flap over the larger branch of the DBUN, in the fourth intermetacarpal space. The flap is harvested on the medial aspect of the dorsum of the hand, and its point of rotation is located in the fourth web space, 1xa0cm proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joint. It is supplied by a reversed flow originating from distal anastomoses of the perineural vessel with the dorsal metacarpal and digital palmar arteries in the fourth web space. This flap does not involve in its pedicle the distal course of the DBUA. It represents a pure neurocutaneous flap.

Efficacy and safety of laser therapy on axillary hyperhidrosis after one year follow‐up: A randomized blinded controlled trial

Hyperhidrosis is a debilitating problem that is not only uncomfortable and inconvenient, but also embarrassing in work and social situations. In spite of the availability of several options for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis, recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of laser therapy. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a laser diode device emitting at wavelengths of 924 and 975u2009nm and classical curettage either alone, simultaneously or in combination.

Reconstruction of short lower leg stumps with the osteomusculocutaneous latissimus dorsi-rib flap.

&NA; To avoid a more proximal amputation at the distal part of the thigh, and when the knee joint is preserved, it is possible to lengthen short lower leg stumps. The authors report five cases in which the latissimus dorsi‐rib flap was used to achieve a satisfactory functional prosthetic result. The bone segment is long enough to both lengthen the stump and allow its extremities to be firmly fixed to the tibia. Depending on the remaining tibia length, one or two ribs were included in the flap. The procedure allowed achievement of a 5‐cm to 9‐cm lengthening of the tibia. Bone healing time was 5 to 6 months and allowed prosthetic rehabilitation and ambulating 5 to 7 months after surgery. Final range of motion of the knee joint is compatible with normal ambulating, and the prosthesis is well tolerated. This procedure, which provides a large amount of skin, muscle, and bone, is very effective for reconstruction of short lower leg stumps. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 109: 1013, 2002.)

The medial head of the triceps brachii. Anatomy and blood supply of a new muscular free flap: the medial triceps free flap

PurposeThe anatomical features of the posterior compartment of the arm seem to provide the basis to raise one of the smallest free muscular flaps, with minimal donor site morbidity: the medial triceps free flap.MethodsThe anatomic study was carried out on 27 fresh cadaver arms: 7 prepared for corrosion cast, 15 for simple dissection and 5 for dissection after latex injection. Morphological data of the muscle, as well as pedicle constancy and size, were recorded.ResultsThe mean size of the medial head was 10.7xa0×xa02.5xa0×xa03.3xa0cm; the mean weight was 30.1xa0g. We found a constant and unique pedicle supplying the whole medial head of triceps muscle, composed by the middle collateral artery (MCA), two veins and a nerve. The mean length of MCA was 2.9xa0cm and the “extended” pedicle, including the deep brachial artery (DBA), was 8–12xa0cm long. At their origin, the mean caliber of MCA was 1.5xa0mm and the mean caliber of DBA 2.4xa0mm.ConclusionsOur findings confirmed the reliability of the MC vessels and their anatomical relationships with the medial head of triceps brachii muscle, which could be harvested as a free flap or as a pedicled flap based on anterograde or retrograde flow. This technique should be safe, yielding mild donor site morbidity, and suitable in regional reconstruction or distant reanimations.