OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical curative effect of different treatment methods for large area avulsion injury in the lower limb.

METHODSBetween January 2010 and December 2013, 54 patients with large area avulsion injury in the lower limb were treated in the trauma center of our hospital, including 34 males and 20 females with a mean age of 35.7 years (range, 16-65 years). The injury mechanism was traffic accident in 44 cases, hitting by heavy objects in 8 cases, and fall from height in 2 cases, involving 31 thighs, 19 legs and 4 feet involved. The sizes of the avulsed wounds ranged from 10 cm ×15 cm to 50 cm ×30 cm. There were 16 cases combined with hemorrhagic shock, 5 with femoral fractures, and 7 with tibiofibula fractures. Averagely the patients were sent to our hospital within 3.5 h (range, 1.5-10 h) after injury. For the 54 patients, three different surgical strategies were performed based on the wound area and condition of the avulsed skin: in Group A, 24 patients were treated by debridement and preservation of subcutaneous vascular network ⁺ vertical mattress suture of full thickness skin flap ⁺ tube drainage; in Group B, 25 patients were treated by split-thickness skin flap meshing and grafting ⁺ vacuum sealing drainage (VSD); and in Group C, the other 5 patients were treated by debridement and VSD at stage I ⁺ reattachment of autologous reserved frozen split-thickness skin graft at stage II.

RESULTSAll the 54 patients recovered and were discharged eventually, without any deaths or amputees. In each group, there were no statistical differences (all p > 0.05) among different injury sites in terms of survival rate and length of hospital stay, except for the infection rate, which was much higher (p =0.000) at the leg area than that at the thigh (32.54% ± 2.97% vs. 2.32% ± 2.34% in Group A and 50.00% ± 0.00% vs. 0 in Group C) or the foot (50.00% ± 0.00% vs. 0 in Group C). Moreover comparison of the three surgical methods showed a significant different (all p < 0.05) between each other for all the three assessed parameters, i.e. flap survival rate, length of hospital stay, and infection rate.

CONCLUSIONTreatment choices for skin avulsion on the lower limb should be based on the viability of the avulsed skin flap and the location of the wound. Proper choice can not only reduce the economic burden caused by using VSD, but also shorten the long hospital stay due to repeated wound dressing change or second stage surgery.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Debridement ; Degloving Injuries ; mortality ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Lower Extremity ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

Objective: To observe the clinical effects of free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap combined with artificial dermis and split-thickness skin graft in the treatment of degloving injury in lower limbs. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From December 2017 to December 2020, 8 patients with large skin and soft tissue defect caused by degloving injury in lower extremity were admitted to Ningbo No.6 Hospital, including 5 males and 3 females, aged from 39 to 75 years, with wound area of 25 cm×12 cm-61 cm×34 cm. The free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap with latissimus dorsi muscle in the width of 12-15 cm and flap area of 20 cm×8 cm-32 cm×8 cm was used to repair the skin and soft tissue defect of bone/tendon exposure site or functional area. The other defect was repaired with bilayer artificial dermis, and the flap donor site was sutured directly. After the artificial dermis was completely vascularized, the split-thickness skin graft from thigh was excised and extended at a ratio of 1∶2 to 1∶4 and then transplanted to repair the residual wound, and the donor site of skin graft was treated by dressing change. The survival of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, artificial dermis, and split-thickness skin graft after operation was observed, the interval time between artificial dermis transplantation and split-thickness skin graft transplantation was recorded, and the healing of donor site was observed. The appearance and function of operative area were followed up. At the last outpatient follow-up, the sensory recovery of flap was evaluated by British Medical Research Council evaluation criteria, the flap function was evaluated by the comprehensive evaluation standard of flap in Operative Hand Surgery, the scar of lower limb skin graft area and thigh skin donor area was evaluated by Vancouver scar scale, and the patient's satisfaction with the curative effects was asked. Results: The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap survived in 6 patients, while the distal tip of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was partially necrotic in 2 patient and was repaired by skin grafting after resection at split-thickness skin grafting. The artificial dermis survived in all 8 patients after transplantation. The split-thickness skin graft survived in 7 patients, while partial necrosis of the split-thickness skin graft occurred in one patient and was repaired by skin grafting again. The interval time between artificial dermis transplantation and split-thickness skin graft transplantation was 15-26 (20±5) d. The donor site of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap healed with linear scar after operation, and the thigh skin graft donor site healed with scar after operation. The patients were followed up for 6-18 (12.5±2.3) months. The color and elasticity of the flap were similar to those of the surrounding skin tissue, and the lower limb joint activity returned to normal. There was no increase in linear scar at the back donor site or obvious hypertrophic scar at the thigh donor site. At the last outpatient follow-up, the sensation of the flap recovered to grade S₂ or S₃; 3 cases were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 1 case was fair in flap function; the Vancouver scar scale score of lower limb skin graft area was 4-7 (5.2±0.9), and the Vancouver scar scale score of thigh skin donor area was 1-5 (3.4±0.8). The patients were fairly satisfied with the curative effects. Conclusions: In repairing the large skin and soft tissue defect from degloving injury in lower extremity, to cover the exposed bone/tendon or functional area with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the residual wound with artificial dermis and extended split-thickness skin graft is accompanied by harvest of small autologous flap and skin graft, good recovery effect of functional area after surgery, and good quality of healing in skin grafted area.
Cicatrix/surgery* ; Degloving Injuries/surgery* ; Dermis/surgery* ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity/surgery* ; Male ; Mammaplasty ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Superficial Back Muscles/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome