腘窝直接皮动脉穿支蒂螺旋桨皮瓣转位修复腘窝软组织缺损

目的探讨腘窝直接皮动脉穿支蒂螺旋桨皮瓣转位修复腘窝软组织缺损的临床效果。方法采用回顾性病例系列研究分析2013年6月至2019年6月,上海交通大学医学院附属新华医院(崇明)收治的9例腘窝软组织缺损患者临床资料,男6例,女3例,年龄25~73岁,平均49.6岁,腘窝缺损创面为6.5 cm×3.5 cm~17.0 cm×8.5 cm。根据解剖学基础,结合腘窝缺损创面的位置、大小、形状,设计并切取腘窝直接皮动脉穿支蒂螺旋桨皮瓣转位修复腘窝缺损创面,皮瓣面积最大为18.0 cm×10.0 cm,最小为7.5 cm×4.5 cm。根据皮瓣成活、感染控制、弹性色泽、外观形态、供区瘢痕、皮肤感觉、膝关节活动功能、患者认可度等情况,对患者术后疗效进行综合评价。结果 9例皮瓣术后全部顺利成活,供、受区伤口一期愈合,其中2例皮瓣远端发生皮缘坏死,给予换药处理后完全愈合。术后均获6~60个月随访,平均33个月,皮瓣成活优良,形态满意,色泽、弹性、质地与周围正常皮肤接近,供区瘢痕较小。疗效评价:满意8例,一般1例,无不满意。膝关节功能优7例,良1例,可1例。皮瓣肿胀评级,早期:Ⅰ度6例,Ⅱ度2例,Ⅲ度1例,Ⅳ度0例;后期:Ⅰ度8例,Ⅱ度1例,Ⅲ度0例,Ⅳ度0例。结论腘窝直接皮动脉穿支蒂螺旋桨皮瓣移位修复腘窝缺损创面方法简便、安全可靠、损伤较小,易于推广,是修复腘窝皮肤软组织缺损的理想方法之一。     

腹腔镜深筋膜下静脉交通支断离术联合Muller术治疗下肢静脉交通支瓣膜功能不全

目的探讨腹腔镜下静脉交通支断离术（subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery，SEPS）联合Muller术治疗下肢静脉交通支瓣膜功能的可行性．方法行静脉顺行造影诊断下肢静脉交通支瓣膜功能不全患肢41条，随机选择31条患肢行SEPS术，在深筋膜下断离病变交通支，联合Muller术抽剥浅表曲张静脉，保留健康大隐静脉．10条患肢作为对照组，行传统大隐静脉抽剥术．结果曲张静脉团块消失，下肢静脉血淤滞得到解决，色素沉着减轻，溃疡愈合，随访5-11月无复发．与对照组相比，手术时间平均缩短1．5h，缝合创口平均减少4．3个，住院时间平均缩短4．8d，差异有显著意义（P〈0．01）．结论SEPS联合Muller术适合个体化微创治疗下肢静脉交通支瓣膜功能不全，创伤小，恢复快．     

Impact of insurance payer and socioeconomic status on type of autologous breast reconstruction

IntroductionAutologous breast reconstruction has evolved from more morbid procedures that sacrificed the abdominal muscle (the TRAM or transverse rectus abdominus muscle flap) to “perforator” flaps. Commercial insurers recognized the higher technical demand of perforator flaps by creating procedural codes with higher professional fees. This study examined whether procedure code discrepancies between insurance payers disproportionally incentivize perforator flaps among the commercially insured.MethodsAutologous breast reconstructions identified from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) were subdivided into microvascular perforator (85.74, 85.75, 85.76), microvascular TRAM (85.73), and pedicled TRAM flaps (85.72). Demographics, comorbidities and access to care were compared. A logistic regression comparing microvascular reconstructions only was used to identify predictors for perforator flap reconstruction.ResultsA total of 66,968 cases of autologous breast reconstruction were identified. Perforator flaps were more likely among the commercially insured (p < 0.001) and higher insurance quartiles (p < 0.001).When comparing microvascular reconstruction, perforator flaps were 1.72 (p < 0.001) times more likely among the commercially insured. As compared to the lowest income quartile, the fourth quartile had an odds ratio of 1.36 (p < 0.001) for perforator flap reconstruction.ConclusionThe presence of a separate perforator flap billing code among the commercially insured may be exacerbating existing socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer reconstruction.     

Propeller flap: Orthoplastic approach for coverage of distal leg and ankle defects

BackgroundCovering soft tissue defects of the distal one-third of the leg and the Achilles tendon region and is a challenging problem for an orthopedic surgeon. With recent advancements in the anatomical knowledge of perforating vessels, perforator-pedicled propeller flaps have become increasingly popular in recent decades. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of our patients whose soft tissue defects in the distal leg were reconstructed with propeller flaps and assessed association of complications with age, gender, flap size and arc of rotation.MethodsPatients that had a reconstruction with a propeller flap at the ankle from 2013 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The main indications for the propeller flap were small- and medium-sized soft tissue defects of the distal lower limb. 20 propeller flaps were applied to 19 patients (14 male, 5 female) for various lower extremity defects.ResultsThe mean follow-up duration was 2 years (range, 6 months to 6 years). The average flap size was 82 cm² (range, 48–125 cm²). The flap was rotated 180 degrees in nine patients The source of the perforator vessel was the tibialis posterior artery in 14 cases, the peroneal artery in 4 cases, both the tibialis posterior and peroneal arteries in 1 case. Four complications (20 %) occured postoperatively. Two patients developed partial necrosis at the tip of the flap, and two patients developed superficial epidermolysis. No correlations were found between complications and flap size and the arc of rotation.ConclusionsThe propeller flap is a reliable option for reconstruction of small to moderate defects in the lower extremity with good clinical results and minimal donor-site morbidity. It is applicable for orthopedic surgeons who do not have microsurgical experience or an available microscope in the operating room.