Objective To investigate histopathological and ultrastructural differences between melasma tissues and normal skin tissues around pigmented nevus. Methods Eight patients with melasma and 16 patients with facial pigmented nevus were included in this study. Two millimeter punch biopsies were taken from melasma lesions and adjacent normal skin of facial pigmented nevus. Biopsy specimens were then subjected to hematoxylin?eosin (HE) staining, Fonton?Masson staining, Verhoeff?van Gieson staining, and immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies HMB45 and NKI/beteb. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the tissue specimens. Semi?quantitative analysis was performed under a light microscope, and quantitative analysis by using a computerized image analysis system. Results Histopathological study revealed increased number of melanin granules mainly in the basal and prickle cell layers, sometimes in the dermis, in melasma tissues compared with normal skin tissues. Melanocytes were only observed in the epidermis of melasma tissues. Compared with normal skin tissues, melasma tissues showed no significant difference in the quantity of melanocytes, but a significant increase in the volume, staining intensity and dendrite number of melanocytes. In all of the 8 patients with melasma, mild to moderate lymphocytic infiltration was observed in the superficial dermis and around capillaries, with moderate telangiectasis in the superficial dermis. Electron microscopy revealed that there were more melanosomes in melanocytes and keratinocytes, and melanocyte dendrites extended into the dermis in melasma tissues. Conclusions Among the 8 patients, there were only two types of melasma, i.e., epidermal melasma and mixed melasma, and no dermal melasma was found. Inflammation and telangiectasis may induce or aggravate melasma.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of free pre-expanded scapular skin flap for repairing of large size facial and cervical scar .Methods 15 patients suffering from post-burn facial and cervical scar contractures were treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University.The reconstruction was performed in two operative stages .First, the skin incision were made paralleling with the descending branches of the circumflex scapular artery near posterior axillary line and the scapular skin flap was elevated .A 300 to 400 ml kidney -shaped expander was implanted under scapular region skin .The expansion began 1 week post-operatively.After the expander was fully expanded and could supply sufficient flap , the facial and cervical scar was resected and the contracture was released .The pre-expanded scapular flap was harvested and transferred to repair the defects.Then the facial vascular anastomosis with circumflex scapular vascular was performed .The expander was removed and the wound was closed directly .Results The expansion time ranged from 2 to 4 months with the average time of 2.8 months.The flap size ranged from 14 cm ×7 cm to 25 cm ×14 cm. All flaps survived post-operatively and wounds at donor sites healed primarily .The face and neck have good appearance .Conclusions Pre-expanded scapular skin flap is suitable for repairing of larger face and neck scar with good color and thickness match .Expanded skin flap can provide large size flap , leaving less morbidity at the donor sites .

Objective:To observe the efficacy of free transplantation of latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap and anterolateral femoral skin flap in repairing the wound after the resection of the scalp squamous cell carcinoma, and to explore the indications of these two skin flaps.Methods:The clinical data of patients with scalp squamous cell carcinoma admitted to the Plastic Surgery Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from June 2013 to May 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients showed no cancer metastasis examined with CT. None of the patients had systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease. The wounds were repaired with free transplantation of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and anterolateral thigh flaps after extensive tumor resection. The intraoperative vascular variation, the diameter of the anastomosed blood vessel, the length of the vascular pedicle, the flap size, the time of harvesting the flap, the time for anastomosis, the operation time, and the incidences of complications at the donor site and recipient site were measured or recorded in both groups.Results:A total of 21 cases were included, including 14 males and 7 females, aged from 12 to 61 years. Eleven cases were repaired with the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, and 10 cases with the anterolateral thigh flap. All the 21 flaps survived during the 1 to 2 years follow-up. No vascular variation was found in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group, whereas 2 cases of vascular variation were found in the anterolateral thigh flap. In the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group, the anastomotic vessel diameter was (2.14±0.09) mm for the artery and (2.49±0.10) mm for the vein. The vascular pedicle length was (6.14±0.28) cm, and the size of the flap was (135.0±20.8) cm 2, the harvesting time was (114.8±3.0) min, the vascular anastomosis time was (20.8±0.8) min, and the operation time was (6.5±0.2) h. In the anterolateral thigh flap group, the anastomotic vessel diameter was (2.15±0.14) mm for the artery and (2.45±0.15) mm for the vein. The vascular pedicle length was (6.80±0.31) cm, and the size of the flap was (159.9±16.4) cm 2, the harvesting time was (119.8±3.6) min, the vascular anastomosis time was (21.5±0.9) min, and the operation time was (6.9±0.2) h. There was no significant difference between the two kinds of flaps in the above parameter. The incidence of total complications at the donor site was higher in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group (7 cases) than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group (4 cases). The incidence of overall complications at the recipient was lower in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group (1 case) than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group (2 cases). Conclusions:Both the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the anterolateral femoral skin flap can achieve good results in repairing the wound after the resection of the scalp squamous cell carcinoma. The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap has a constant blood supply, and the operative technique is relatively easy and with low risk, which is more suitable for novices. The anterolateral thigh flap is thin and with fewer complications at the donor site. It is easy to be accepted by patients and can be performed in the supine position, which is more suitable for elderly patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of free pre-expanded scapular skin flap for repairing of large size facial and cervical scar .Methods 15 patients suffering from post-burn facial and cervical scar contractures were treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University.The reconstruction was performed in two operative stages .First, the skin incision were made paralleling with the descending branches of the circumflex scapular artery near posterior axillary line and the scapular skin flap was elevated .A 300 to 400 ml kidney -shaped expander was implanted under scapular region skin .The expansion began 1 week post-operatively.After the expander was fully expanded and could supply sufficient flap , the facial and cervical scar was resected and the contracture was released .The pre-expanded scapular flap was harvested and transferred to repair the defects.Then the facial vascular anastomosis with circumflex scapular vascular was performed .The expander was removed and the wound was closed directly .Results The expansion time ranged from 2 to 4 months with the average time of 2.8 months.The flap size ranged from 14 cm ×7 cm to 25 cm ×14 cm. All flaps survived post-operatively and wounds at donor sites healed primarily .The face and neck have good appearance .Conclusions Pre-expanded scapular skin flap is suitable for repairing of larger face and neck scar with good color and thickness match .Expanded skin flap can provide large size flap , leaving less morbidity at the donor sites .

Objective:To observe the efficacy of free transplantation of latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap and anterolateral femoral skin flap in repairing the wound after the resection of the scalp squamous cell carcinoma, and to explore the indications of these two skin flaps.Methods:The clinical data of patients with scalp squamous cell carcinoma admitted to the Plastic Surgery Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from June 2013 to May 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients showed no cancer metastasis examined with CT. None of the patients had systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, vascular disease. The wounds were repaired with free transplantation of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flaps and anterolateral thigh flaps after extensive tumor resection. The intraoperative vascular variation, the diameter of the anastomosed blood vessel, the length of the vascular pedicle, the flap size, the time of harvesting the flap, the time for anastomosis, the operation time, and the incidences of complications at the donor site and recipient site were measured or recorded in both groups.Results:A total of 21 cases were included, including 14 males and 7 females, aged from 12 to 61 years. Eleven cases were repaired with the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, and 10 cases with the anterolateral thigh flap. All the 21 flaps survived during the 1 to 2 years follow-up. No vascular variation was found in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group, whereas 2 cases of vascular variation were found in the anterolateral thigh flap. In the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group, the anastomotic vessel diameter was (2.14±0.09) mm for the artery and (2.49±0.10) mm for the vein. The vascular pedicle length was (6.14±0.28) cm, and the size of the flap was (135.0±20.8) cm 2, the harvesting time was (114.8±3.0) min, the vascular anastomosis time was (20.8±0.8) min, and the operation time was (6.5±0.2) h. In the anterolateral thigh flap group, the anastomotic vessel diameter was (2.15±0.14) mm for the artery and (2.45±0.15) mm for the vein. The vascular pedicle length was (6.80±0.31) cm, and the size of the flap was (159.9±16.4) cm 2, the harvesting time was (119.8±3.6) min, the vascular anastomosis time was (21.5±0.9) min, and the operation time was (6.9±0.2) h. There was no significant difference between the two kinds of flaps in the above parameter. The incidence of total complications at the donor site was higher in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group (7 cases) than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group (4 cases). The incidence of overall complications at the recipient was lower in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap group (1 case) than that in the anterolateral thigh flap group (2 cases). Conclusions:Both the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the anterolateral femoral skin flap can achieve good results in repairing the wound after the resection of the scalp squamous cell carcinoma. The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap has a constant blood supply, and the operative technique is relatively easy and with low risk, which is more suitable for novices. The anterolateral thigh flap is thin and with fewer complications at the donor site. It is easy to be accepted by patients and can be performed in the supine position, which is more suitable for elderly patients.