title: Role of vascularised tissue transfer after oncological resection in the upper extremity.
abstract: We reviewed 12 patients who had had vascularised tissue transfer after oncological resection in the upper extremity. All patients had immediate reconstruction, and one had a double tissue transfer. Tissues used were skin flaps, free muscles, and vascularised fibulas, for resurfacing the wound, motor recovery, and reconstruction of large bony defects, respectively. All the patients returned early to their daily activities. Although local recurrences were encountered in two patients, they were again rendered disease-free by salvage operations. Two patients had secondary reconstructions using pedicle latissimus dorsi flaps for late problems, including one of the two patients who developed a local recurrence. The mean functional score using the system devised by the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society was 84%. All the upper extremities were successfully rescued with satisfactory function. Vascularised tissue transfer was invaluable for achieving both curative resection of the tumour and a useful upper extremity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Japan. ihara@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Mitsunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shigetomi
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.forename: Sohtetsu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Teruyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*