title: [Reconstruction of postburn popliteal fossa contractures using popliteal fossa middle artery pedicled flaps in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics of blood supply of popliteal fossa middle artery pedicled flaps and the feasibility of reconstruction of postburn popliteal fossa contractures using the flaps in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2008 and October 2010, 6 cases of postburn popliteal fossa contractures were recontructed using popliteal fossa middle artery pedicled flaps. Of them, 2 were boys and 4 were girls, aged from 2 years and 2 months to 10 years. All burns were caused by hot water. The wound ranged from 5 cm x 4 cm to 10 cm x 8 cm after scar relaxation. The size of the flap ranged from 6 cm x 4 cm to 11 cm x 9 cm. Donor sites were covered with split-thickness skin graft in 5 cases, and sutured directly in 1 case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the flaps and the skingraft survived; no vascular crisis or flap necrosis occurred. All incisions at donors and wounds healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 12-24 months. The color, texture, and appearance of the flaps were good. Hyperplastic scar was found at incision of popliteal fossa in 1 case at 6 months after operation; the range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint was 0-175 degrees, and no obvious change was observed at 15 months after operation. The others had no functional disturbance of the knee joints or claudication; the ROM of the knee joint was 0-180 degrees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The popliteal fossa middle artery pedicled flap has reliable blood supply, simple operative procedure, and good results in reconstruction of popliteal fossa contracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi Guizhou 563003, PR China. zairongwei@sina.com
authors.forename: Zairong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Guangfeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiujun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chengliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Wenhu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Dali
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003286:Contracture / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing