OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of human biological dressing (human acellular dermal matrix) transplantation in the management of refractory wounds among middle-aged and elderly patients. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted involving 104 middle-aged and elderly patients (74 males, 30 females; aged 56-95 years) with refractory wounds treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2023 to December 2024. Following debridement, wound areas ranged from 1.0 to 48.0 cm². All patients received vacuum sealing drainage for 7 days, followed by human biological dressing transplantation. Subsequently, depending on the wound condition and the patient's preference, autologous skin grafting (ASG) or wound dressing changes were employed to promote wound healing. Outcome measures included: post-human biological dressing coverage of exposed tendons/bones and occurrence of tendon infection/osteomyelitis; survival rate of ASG at postoperative day 7; healing time in patients managed with wound dressing changes alone; patient satisfaction; and changes in pain intensity, sleep disturbance, and anxiety scores assessed before and 1 month after human biological dressing transplantation using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. RESULTS: After human biological dressing transplantation, 103 patients exhibited robust granulation tissue formation achieving complete coverage of the exposed tendons/bones, with no instances of tendon/bone necrosis, infection, or osteomyelitis. Among these, 51 patients underwent successful ASG at (44.4±13.0) d post-human biological dressing transplantation (success rate 100.00%), 52 patients achieved primary wound healing through dressing changes alone within (62.6±13.4) d post-human biological dressing transplantation. One patient experienced human biological dressing dissolution and detachment due to gluteal wound infection, resulting in non-healing. The overall cure rate was 99.04%. Patient satisfaction survey showed that 95 patients were very satisfied, 8 were satisfied, and 1 was dissatisfied (satisfaction rate 99.04%). Pain, sleep disturbance, and anxiety scores at 1 month post-human biological dressing transplantation were significantly reduced compared to pre-transplantation scores (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Human biological dressing transplantation demonstrate excellent outcomes in treating refractory wounds in middle-aged and elderly patients and can serve as an effective therapeutic strategy for managing refractory wounds.
Humans ; Aged ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Aged, 80 and over ; Retrospective Studies ; Wound Healing ; Biological Dressings ; Skin Transplantation ; Acellular Dermis ; Wounds and Injuries/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and risk factors associated with cutaneous chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of children who underwent allo-HSCT in the Wuhan Children's Hospital from August 1, 2016, to December 31, 2023, and were regularly followed up for 1 year or more. The differences in clinical features between children with and without cutaneous cGVHD were compared, and the risk factors affecting the occurrence of cutaneous cGVHD were analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, 296 children received allo-HSCT. Until December 31, 2024, follow-up showed that 20 children (6.8%) developed cutaneous cGVHD, which manifested as cutaneous lichenification, hyperpigmentation, keratosis pilaris, sclerotic changes, and hair or nail involvement. According to their skin lesion area and degree of grading, 5 cases were mild, 10 cases were moderate, and 5 cases were severe. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that female donors and previous acute GVHD were risk factors for the development of cutaneous cGVHD after allo-HSCT. All 20 children were treated with glucocorticoid ± calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus/cyclosporine) as first-line therapeutic agents. Only 1 child improved after first-line treatment. The remaining 19 children treated with a second-line regimen of combination interventions based on individualized status, including 10 children who could not tolerate hormonotherapy or first-line treatment, and showed no significant improvement after 3 months, as well as 9 children with multi-organ cGVHD. After comprehensive second-line treatment, 17 children showed improvement in cutaneous symptoms. There were 3 deaths, including 1 due to primary disease recurrence and 2 due to pulmonary infections. CONCLUSION The skin is the first manifestation and most common organ involved in cGVHD in children. Cutaneous cGVHD severely affects the daily activities of transplanted children and requires prolonged immunosuppressive therapy, but has a favorable prognosis. First-line treatments for adults are not applicable to children who usually require a combination treatment with multiple drugs.
Humans ; Graft vs Host Disease/etiology* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Female ; Child ; Skin Diseases/etiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Male ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of delayed replantation of degloving skin preserved at 4℃ in treatment of limb degloving injuries. METHODS: Between October 2020 and October 2023, 12 patients with limb degloving injuries were admitted. All patients had severe associated injuries or poor wound conditions that prevented primary replantation. There were 7 males and 5 females; age ranged from 29 to 46 years, with an average of 39.2 years. The causes of injury included machine entanglement in 6 cases, traffic accidents in 5 cases, and sharp instrument cuts in 1 case. Time from injury to hospital admission was 0.5-3.0 hours, with an average of 1.3 hours. Injury sites included upper limbs in 7 cases and lower limbs in 5 cases. The range of degloving skin was from 5 cm×4 cm to 15 cm×8 cm, and all degloving skins were intact. The degloving skin was preserved at 4℃. After the patient's vital signs became stable and the wound conditions improved, it was trimmed into medium-thickness skin grafts for replantation. The degloving skin was preserved for 3 to 7 days. At 4 weeks after replantation, the viability of the degloving skin grafts was assessed, including color, elasticity, and sensation of pain. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used to assess the scars of the skin grafts during follow-up. RESULTS: At 4 weeks after replantation, 8 cases of skin grafts completely survived and the color was similar with normal skin, with a survival rate of 66.67%. The elasticity of skin grafts (R0 value) ranged from 0.09 to 0.85, with an average of 0.55; moderate pain was reported in 4 cases, mild pain in 3 cases, and no pain in 5 cases. All patients were followed up 12 months. Over time, the VSS scores of all 12 patients gradually decreased, with a range of 4-11 at 12 months (mean, 6.8). CONCLUSION For limb degloving injuries that cannot be replanted immediately and do not have the conditions for deep low-temperature freezing preservation, the method of preserving the degloving skin at 4℃ for delayed replantation can be chosen.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Replantation/methods* ; Female ; Degloving Injuries/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Extremities/injuries* ; Time Factors ; Skin/injuries* ; Tissue Preservation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of free paraumbilical perforator flaps in repairing skin and soft tissue defects in children. METHODS: Between February 2018 and March 2024, 12 children with skin and soft tissue defects were treated with the free paraumbilical perforator flaps. There were 7 boys and 5 girls with an average age of 6.3 years (range, 2-12 years). The defects located on the upper limbs in 6 cases, lower limbs in 5 cases, and neck in 1 case. The causes of wounds included 7 cases of electrical burns, 1 case of thermal burn, 2 cases of scar release and excision due to scar contraction after burns, 1 case of scar ulcer at the amputation stump after severe burns, and 1 case of skin necrosis after a traffic accident injury. The size of defects after debridement ranged from 7.0 cm×4.0 cm to 18.0 cm×10.0 cm. According to the defect size, 11 cases were repaired with unilateral paraumbilical perforator flaps centered on the umbilicus, among which 3 cases with larger defects were designed as "L"-shaped flaps along the lateral and lower ends of the perforator; the donor sites were directly closed. One case with extensive defect after scar excision and release was repaired with bilateral expanded paraumbilical perforator flaps; the donor sites were repaired with autologous split-thickness skin grafts. The size of flaps ranged from 9.0 cm×4.0 cm to 20.0 cm×11.0 cm. Postoperatively, analgesia and sedation were provided, and the blood supply of the flaps was observed. RESULTS: All operations were successfully completed. The operation time was 4-7 hours, with an average of 5.0 hours. After postoperative analgesia and sedation, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain in all children was less than or equal to 3, and there was no non-cooperation due to pain. All flaps and skin grafts survived completely, and the wounds healed by first intention. Ten children underwent 1-4 times of flap de-fatting, finger separation, and trimming. All children were followed up 6-48 months (mean, 26.6 months). No obvious swelling of the flaps occurred, and the texture was soft. At last follow-up, among the 6 children with upper limb defects, 2 had upper limb function grade Ⅳ and 4 had upper limb function grade Ⅴ according to the Carroll upper limb function assessment method. The 4 children with lower limb defects had no limitation of joint movement. The neck flexion and rotation in the 1 child with neck defect significantly improved when compared with that before operation. The 1 child with residual ulcer at the amputation stump could wear a prosthesis and move without limitation, and no new ulcer occurred. Linear scars were left at the donor sites, and no abdominal wall hernia was formed. CONCLUSION The free paraumbilical perforator flap has abundant blood supply and can be harvested in large size. It can be used to repair skin and soft tissue defects in children and has the advantages of short operation time, minimal injury, high safety, and minimal impact on the growth and development of children.
Humans ; Perforator Flap/transplantation* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Child, Preschool ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Burns/surgery* ; Umbilicus/surgery* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Skin/injuries* ; Cicatrix/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method and effectiveness of index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of superficial branch of radial nerve for treatment of thumb skin and soft tissue defect. METHODS: Between August 2019 and December 2024, 12 patients with thumb skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery were treated. There were 8 males and 4 females, aged 19-55 years, with an average age of 32 years. The wound area ranged from 2.2 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×3.5 cm. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1.5 to 6.0 hours, with an average of 4.5 hours. After thorough debridement, the wound was repaired with a index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve. The flap area ranged from 2.4 cm×2.2 cm to 6.0 cm×4.0 cm. The donor site was repaired with free skin grafting. Regular follow-up was conducted postoperatively to observe the appearance, texture, sensory recovery of the flap, and the condition of the donor site. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 30 to 72 minutes, with an average of 47 minutes; intraoperative blood loss ranged from 30 to 70 mL, with an average of 46 mL. After operation, partial necrosis occurred at the skin edge of the radial incision on the dorsum of the hand in 1 case, which healed after dressing changes; all other flaps survived uneventfully, with primary wound healing. The skin grafts at the donor sites all survived. All 12 patients were followed up 5-36 months, with an average of 14 months. The appearance and texture of the flaps were good. At last follow-up, the two-point discrimination of the flaps ranged from 4 to 9 mm, with an average of 5.2 mm. According to the functional evaluation criteria for upper limb issued by the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 11 cases and good in 1 case. No scar contracture, pain, or joint movement limitation was observed at the donor sites. CONCLUSION For patients with skin and soft tissue defects of the thumb accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery, the index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve can be selected. This method has advantages such as shorter operation time, less intraoperative bleeding, and good postoperative appearance and sensation of the flap.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Thumb/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Radial Nerve/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps/innervation* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Fingers/surgery* ; Skin/injuries*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and arterial supercharging technique on the survival rate and functional restoration of cross-body region skin flaps in rabbits. METHODS: Twelve healthy 6-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were randomly assigned to 4 groups ( n=3): sham group, PRP group, anastomosis group, and combined treatment group. An axial skin flap with an area of 12 cm×6 cm on the inner side of the hind limbs of all animals were prepared, with the saphenous artery as the main blood supply. Following the ligation of both the proximal and distal ends of the saphenous artery across all groups, the sham group received no further intervention, the PRP group was subjected to PRP injection, the anastomosis group underwent in situ end-to-end anastomosis of the distal saphenous artery, and the combined treatment group received both in situ distal saphenous artery anastomosis and PRP administration. Flap survival was evaluated and recorded on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, with survival rates calculated accordingly. On day 7, flap tissue samples were harvested for HE staining to assess basal tissue morphology. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining was conducted to detect the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and CD31 in the flap tissues. RESULTS: At postoperative day 1, no significant difference in flap survival rates were observed among the 4 groups ( P>0.05). At day 3, the PRP group showed no significant difference compared to the sham group ( P>0.05); however, both the anastomosis and combined treatment groups exhibited significantly higher survival rates than the sham group ( P<0.05), the combined treatment group further demonstrated superior survival rates compared to both the PRP and anastomosis groups ( P<0.05). At day 7, the combined treatment group maintained significantly higher survival rates than all other groups ( P<0.05), while both the PRP and anastomosis groups exceeded the sham group ( P<0.05). HE staining at day 7 revealed persistent inflammatory cell infiltration, sheet-like erythrocyte deposition, and disordered collagen fibers in the sham group. The PRP group showed nascent microvessel formation and early collagen reorganization, whereas the anastomosis group displayed mature microvasculature with resolved interstitial edema. The combined treatment group exhibited differentiated microvessels with densely packed collagen bundles. Immunohistochemical analysis at day 7 demonstrated significantly larger relative area percentages of α-SMA, VEGF, and CD31 positive cells in the combined treatment group compared to all other groups ( P<0.05). Both the PRP and anastomosis groups also showed significantly higher values than the sham group ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of PRP and arterial supercharging techniques significantly enhances flap healing, potentially through mechanisms involving augmented angiogenesis and improved blood supply.
Animals ; Rabbits ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Surgical Flaps/blood supply* ; Graft Survival ; Anastomosis, Surgical/methods* ; Ischemia/surgery* ; Arteries/surgery* ; Skin/blood supply* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Male ; Skin Transplantation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To review the nomenclature, functional unit construction, technical essentials, and prevention and treatment of complications of functional perforator flaps, so as to provide references for the structural and functional reconstruction of composite tissue defects. METHODS: By retrieving and analyzing domestic and foreign literature on anatomical research, technical innovation and clinical application of functional design and application of perforator flaps, combined with the clinical practice of our team, the methods for harvesting and integrating functional units of perforator flaps were summarized. RESULTS: Functional perforator flap refers to a perforator flap that, on the basis of perforator blood supply, carries one or more tissue functional units (such as muscles, nerves, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, bones, mucous membranes, joints or articular cartilages, etc.) with sufficient blood supply located in the supra-fascia and/or sub-fascia, and is used to reconstruct one or more functions of the recipient site. The design and transfer of functional perforator flaps should not only meet the needs of precise coverage of the wound, but also reconstruct the functions of the recipient site such as muscle contraction, flap sensation, lymphatic drainage, blood flow bridging, bone growth, glandular secretion or joint movement, while avoiding iatrogenic dysfunction in the donor site. CONCLUSION Functional perforator flaps have broken through the limitation of "wound coverage" and realize the integrated reconstruction of "structure-function-aesthetics".
Humans ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Tissue and Organ Harvesting/methods* ; Skin Transplantation/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical applications of functional perforator flaps in restoring human body functions. METHODS: An extensive literature review was conducted on both domestic and international publications to summarize the clinical use of functional perforator flaps for functional restoration. RESULTS: Perforator flaps are among the most commonly used flaps in reconstructive surgery. Beyond providing soft tissue repair, they are increasingly employed to reconstruct diverse bodily functions, leading us to propose the concept of the "functional perforator flap". Although various forms of functional perforator flaps are currently utilized, reports are predominantly scattered case studies, lacking systematic organization. Commonly used functional perforator flaps can be categorized into five types: chimeric perforator flaps, perforator flaps for nerve function restoration, perforator flaps for lymphatic drainage enhancement, flow-through perforator flaps, and perforator flaps for restoring bone and joint motion. These flaps significantly broaden the application scope of perforator flaps, elevating the goal of reconstruction from mere wound repair to achieving repair concurrent with functional reconstruction. CONCLUSION The application of various functional perforator flap designs significantly improves wound reconstruction outcomes and represents an effective approach for managing complex defects. Future developments will undoubtedly see more forms of functional perforator flaps reported to meet increasingly sophisticated reconstructive demands.
Humans ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the innervated medial plantar flap for reconstructing soft tissue defects, particularly in the weight-bearing zone, after resection of foot tumors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 12 patients with malignant skin and soft tissue tumors of the foot treated between October 2023 and December 2024. The cohort included 8 males and 4 females, aged 42-67 years (mean, 57.5 years). Tumor types comprised malignant melanoma (5 cases), squamous cell carcinoma (4 cases), arsenical keratosis (2 cases), and tumor-induced osteomalacia (1 case). Soft tissue defects located in the heel weight-bearing region in 10 cases and non-weight-bearing ankle region in 2 cases, with defect sizes ranging from 4.0 cm×3.0 cm to 6.0 cm×4.0 cm. Preoperative photon-counting CT angiography (PC-CTA) was performed to assess the medial plantar artery and its perforators. All patients underwent radical tumor resection with confirmed negative margins. The resulting defects were reconstructed using a innervated medial plantar flap incorporating sensory branches of the medial plantar nerve. The flap donor site was covered with a split-thickness skin graft harvested from the ipsilateral inguinal region. RESULTS: The operation was successfully completed in all 12 patients. All flaps survived completely without vascular compromise, partial necrosis, or total loss. Incisions healed primarily without dehiscence or infection. Minor skin graft necrosis occurred at the donor site in 3 patients, which healed within 2-3 weeks with routine dressing changes. No donor site complication (e.g., tendon or nerve injury) occurred. Patients were followed up 2-16 months (mean, 10.3 months). At last follow-up, there was no tumor recurrence. Flaps exhibited good color and texture match with surrounding tissue, restored sensation, and all feet achieved normal weight-bearing activity. CONCLUSION The innervated medial plantar flap, precisely designed based on PC-CTA localization, provides reliable blood supply and effective sensory restoration. It is an ideal method for reconstructing soft tissue defects after foot tumor resection, especially in the heel weight-bearing region.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Adult ; Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps/blood supply* ; Foot/surgery* ; Skin Neoplasms/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Melanoma/surgery*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical outcome of sensory reconstruction about the functional perforator flap for repairing the complex defects on the limbs. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 21 patients with limb complex defects admitted between March 2018 and January 2023. There were 12 males and 9 females, with a median age of 36 years (range, 19-62 years). The wounds were on the upper limbs (hands) in 13 cases and the lower limbs (feet) in 8 cases. Five patients with tumor/scar, and the left defects after en-bloc resection of the tumor lesion and scar were repaired immediately. The remaining 16 cases were acute/chronic wounds, undergoing the emergent debridement and vacuum sealing drainage placement, and the left defects were repaired with flaps during second-stage operation. The size of the defects ranged from 5.5 cm×4.5 cm to 17.0 cm×12.0 cm. The donor sites were located on the thoracic and back in 4 cases, the anterior lateral thigh in 6 cases, and the feet in 11 cases. All flaps were functional perforator flaps with sensory nerve. The donor sites were closed directly or repaired with skin grafting. At last follow-up, the sensation of flap and the muscle strength of recipient site were evaluated according to the British Medical Research Council (BMRC) sensory grading (S₀-S₄) and muscle strength grading (M₀-M₅) criteria. RESULTS: Twenty flaps survived completely without significant complication, and partial edge necrosis was observed in 1 flap, which healed after the debridement and skin grafting. The donor and recipient sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 10-18 months (mean, 12 months). At last follow-up, the flaps with satisfactory shape and soft texture were observed, and no abnormal hair growth or pigmentation occurred. The sensation of flap was evaluated as S₁ in 2 cases, S₂ in 7, S₃ in 9, and S₄ in 3. The muscle strength of recipient site was evaluated as M₂ in 4 cases, M₃ in 9, M₄ in 5, and M₅ in 3. Only linear scars were left at the donor site. CONCLUSION The functional perforator flap with sensory nerve is beneficial for early sensation reconstruction for repairing the complex defects on the limbs, and could reconstruct the functional subunit structure defect in one stage. The short-term functional follow-up results are satisfactory.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Perforator Flap/transplantation* ; Middle Aged ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Extremities/injuries* ; Cicatrix/surgery* ; Skin Transplantation/methods*