[Repair of soft-tissue defect of amputation stumps of the forearm with free flap from the traumatic amputated extremity].
OBJECTIVE
To report the clinical results of the repair of soft-tissue defect of amputation stumps of the forearm with free flap from the traumatic amputated extremity.


METHODS
Five patients, 4 males and 1 female, aged 32 (22 - 43), with soft-tissue defect of the remaining stump of the traumatic amputation of the forearm, 3 cases in the right forearm and 2 cases in the left forearm, underwent repair of the defect by free flap from the traumatic amputated extremity with the size of the flaps ranging from 8 cm x 9 cm to 9 cm x 12 cm. The patients were followed up for 2.6 years (1.5 - 3.5 years).


RESULTS
Superficial infection occurred in one patient postoperatively and the wound was gradually healed by daily wound dressings. All the flaps survived completely with satisfactory clinical results. The cosmetic appearance on the recipient area was good and the function of the elbow recovered satisfactorily.


CONCLUSIONS
The flap from the traumatic amputated extremity has a constant vascular anatomy and a long vascular pedicle, so that dissection of the flap can be accomplished easily. The surgery allows to preserve the functional length or the elbow function of the remaining stump of the traumatic amputation.
Zhang
Gong-lin
GL
Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospital of Wenling City, Wenling 317500, China.
Guo
Ao
A
Zhang
Ling-zhi
LZ
Xu
Zhao-yue
ZY
Zhang
Feng-huo
FH
Zhang
Wen-zheng
WZ
Hu
Yu-xiang
YX
Ding
Fa-ming
FM
D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005543:Forearm Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps