OBJECTIVETo discuss the treatment of life-threatening refractory pressure ulcers around hips in patients with spinal cord injuries(SCI)and evaluate its clinical outcomes.

METHODSFrom March 2012 to June 2015, eight paraplegic patients with life-threatening refractory pressure ulcers around hips were treated with total thigh musculocutaneous flaps following amputation of proximal femurs or hips, including 7 males and 1 female with an average age of (52.0±2.6) years old ranging from 35 to 68. The coures of disease was from 10 months to 7 years with a mean of(2.9±0.2) years. All the 8 patients had compound ulcers of more than two parts, 7 cases had hip infection on the same side. The area of superficial wounds ranged from 3.0 cm×3.0 cm to 12.0 cm×15.0 cm. The clinical effects were evaluated according to infection controlling, wound healing, improving of nutrition and life quality of patients.

RESULTSAll patient were followed up for 3 months to 2 years with an average of 1.3 years. All flaps survived, 5 cases obtained wound healing at one-stage, 2 cases had wound dehiscence and the wounds were closed after a second operation, 1 case had partial flap necrosis which was healed by dressing change, 1 case had urethral injury that was repaired in operation. All wounds were cured successfully without infection and ulcer recurrence during the follow-up period. The nutrition and quality of life of all cases improved observably after operation.

CONCLUSIONSThe total thigh musculocutaneous flap is effective to reconstruct the refractory pressure ulcers around hip of patient with SCI. It can rescue life at the cost of losing one lower limb. It is an operation of last resort for the patients.