1.Functional perforator flap: concept and clinical applications.
Hu JIAO ; Mengqing ZANG ; Lu ZHOU ; Shengyang JIN ; Jiadong PAN ; Miao WANG ; Xin WANG ; Yuanbo LIU
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(9):1076-1085
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
2.Clinical effect of indocyanine green angiography-assisted design and harvest of expanded flaps for scar reconstruction
Yanan HU ; Tingjun XIE ; Yuanbo LIU ; Shan ZHU ; Zengjie YANG ; Jia TIAN ; Cheng GAN ; Hu JIAO ; Shanshan LI ; Zixiang CHEN ; Lu ZHOU ; Bing HAN ; Shengyang JIN ; Yan ZENG ; Miao WANG ; Mengqing ZANG
Chinese Journal of Burns 2025;41(4):341-347
Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA)-assisted design and harvest of expanded flaps for scar reconstruction.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From April 2019 to August 2023, 19 patients with scars (8 males, 11 females; aged 3-38 years) treated at the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences met the inclusion criteria. The scars were distributed on the head, face, trunk, and extremities. In stage Ⅰ surgery, skin soft tissue expanders were implanted in suitable areas around the scars for skin soft tissue expansion. In stage Ⅱ surgery, the scar tissue was excised, resulting in wound areas ranging from 100 to 210 cm 2, and expanded flaps were designed. ICGA was used to identify target perforators and their accompanying veins, and the flap design was adjusted to ensure the inclusion of complete arterial and venous axes. The expanded flap with an area of 120 to 240 cm2 was harvested using unilateral back-cut technique and transferred to the recipient site, and the donor site wound was sutured directly. The durations of the arterial and venous phases of ICGA during flap design were recorded. The length-to-width ratios of the back-cut flaps were calculated for different regions. After stage Ⅱ surgery, the blood perfusion and survival of the flap, the wound healing at the donor site, and the occurrence of complications were observed. During follow-up, the appearance, color, and texture of the patient's flap were observed. Results:The arterial phase of ICGA lasted 10-27 (18±5) s, and the venous phase lasted 78-116 (100±10) s. The length-to-width ratios of the back-cut flaps were 1.22±0.32, 1.63±0.12, and 1.15±0.21 for the head and neck, trunk, and limb regions, respectively. After stage Ⅱ surgery, one patient had a large area of insufficient blood perfusion in the flap. By comparing ICGA images before and after flap transfer, the sutures at the oral commissure were loosened, the blood flow of the flap was restored. The blood perfusion of the flaps in other patients was good. All flaps survived completely, with well-healed donor site wounds and no complications. During 0.5-14.0 months of follow-up, all flaps of patients demonstrated excellent appearance, with color and texture matching the surrounding skin.Conclusions:As a means of superficial blood flow visualization, ICGA can not only clearly show the microvascular distribution of the expanded flap before operation, assist in optimizing the design of the flap, but also evaluate the blood perfusion of the flap after operation, reduce the occurrence of complications, and provide a full-process navigation for the harvesting of expanded flaps, thereby improving the safety of flap transfer for scar reconstruction.
3.Predictive factors analysis of disease progression and short-term prognosis in patients with acute perforating artery cerebral infarction
Jile LYU ; Shang LEI ; Yujing LYU ; Mengqing MA ; Lili SONG ; Lu ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2025;22(6):373-382
Objective To investigate the predictive value of pan-immune-inflammation value(PIV),blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio(BAR),collateral circulation and National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NIHSS)score for disease progression and short-term prognosis in patients with acute perforating artery cerebral infarction(APACI).Methods Patients with APACI admitted to the Neurology Department of Anhui NO.2 Provincial People's Hospital from January 2019 to October 2024 were retrospectively enrolled in this study.General and clinical data,including age,gender,previous history(hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation),smoking history,drinking history,NIHSS scores at admission were collected.Fasting venous blood samples were collected from the patients within 24 h after admission to detect levels of neutrophils,lymphocytes,monocytes,platelets,blood urea nitrogen,and serum albumin.PIV(PIV=neutrophils × platelets × monocytes/lymphocytes)and BAR were calculated.The location of lesions and Fazekas classification of white matter lesions were evaluated using head MRI and MR angiography at admission.Collateral circulation status was assessed based on CT angiography upon admission.Disease progression was defined through comparing the NIHSS score at 72-hour after admission to the score at admission(an increase of 2 or more points in NIHSS score indicating disease progression).The patients were divided into a progression group and a non-progression group based on the increase in NIHSS score,as aforementioned.Patients follow-up was conducted through phone call or outpatient visits at 90 d after discharge.The modified Rankin scale(mRS)was used to evaluate the prognosis,with a mRS score of 0-2 indicates good prognosis,and a 3-6 indicates poor prognosis.Factors with statistically significant differences in univariate analysis were included in a multivariate Logistic regression analysis to explore the influencing factors of disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with APACI.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of each indicator for disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with APACI.Results A total of 165 patients with APACI were enrolled in this study,including 121 males and 44 females,aged 27-86 years,with an average of(61±11)years.Among all patients enrolled,56 patients were included in the progression group and 109 patients in the non-progression group,124 patients showed good prognosis and 41 patients had poor prognosis.No statistically significant differences were found in age,gender,smoking history,drinking history,hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation,lesion location,and Fazekas classification of white matter lesions between the progression group and the non-progression group(all P>0.05).While the NIHSS score at admission,proportion of poor collateral circulation,PIV and BAR in the progression group were significantly higher than those in the non-progression group(all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high NIHSS score at admission(OR,1.177,95%CI 1.001-1.384,P=0.049),poor collateral circulation(OR,3.107,95%CI 1.216-7.939,P=0.018),high PIV(OR,1.006,95%CI 1.003-1.009,P=0.001),and high BAR(OR,1.610 × 109,95%CI 5.769 × 104-4.494 × 1013,P<0.01)were independent risk factors of disease progression in patients with APACI.ROC curve analysis results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of combination of PIV,BAR,collateral circulation and NIHSS score at admission for predicting disease progression in patients with APACI was 0.914(95% CI0.861-0.952,P<0.01),which was greater than that of each indicator(all P<0.05).No statistically significant differences were found in smoking,drinking,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation,lesion location,and BAR between the poor prognosis and the good prognosis group(all P>0.05).Compared with the good prognosis group,the poor prognosis group had significantly older age and higher proportion of patients with diabetes,NIHSS score at admission,proportion of patients with poor collateral circulation,and PIV(all P<0.05).Moreover,the proportion of men in the poor prognosis group was lower than that in the good prognosis group(P=0.039).There was a statistically significant difference between the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group in the Fazekas classification of white matter lesions(P<0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high NIHSS score at admission(OR,1.345,95%CI 1.081-1.674,P=0.008),poor collateral circulation(OR,3.903,95%CI 1.061-14.355,P=0.040),and high PIV(OR,1.011,95%CI 1.005-1.017,P<0.01)were independent risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with APACI.The AUC for predicting poor prognosis in patients with APACI through combining PIV,collateral circulation and NIHSS score at admission was 0.911(95%CI 0.857-0.950,P<0.01),which is greater than using poor collateral circulation or NIHSS score at admission alone(both P<0.05).However,there was no statistically significant difference in AUC between the PIV,collateral circulation and NIHSS score combined predictive model and the PIV(alone)predictive model(P>0.05).Conclusions High PIV,high BAR,poor collateral circulation,and high NIHSS score at admission were independent risk factors of disease progression in patients with APACI.Combination of these four indices demonstrates relatively high predictive value for disease progression.In addition,high PIV,poor collateral circulation,and high NIHSS score at admission are independent risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with APACI.Joint detection of the three indices may assist in short-term prognosis evaluation of patients with APACI.
4.Short-term outcome study on cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Cheng GAN ; Zhengdong KONG ; Xiaoye RAN ; Shudong QIAO ; Yixin ZHANG ; Lu YUE ; Yingjie WANG ; Hui BI ; Dong YANG ; Hongtong MA ; Yuan CHEN ; Hongli CHAI ; Ying JIA ; Chenhao MA ; Zixiang CHEN ; Ke LI ; Miao WANG ; Liguo XUE ; Siwen ZHAO ; Ke WEN ; Lin YIN ; Bo DING ; Shan ZHU ; Yuanbo LIU ; Mengqing ZANG
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2025;41(2):130-143
Objective:To explore the short-term clinical effects of deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods:A prospective exploratory study was conducted on the treatment of AD patients using the cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in Scar and Wound Treatment Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from September to October 2024. The patients underwent high-frequency ultrasound to locate deep cervical lymph nodes and the external jugular vein. Under general anesthesia, bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses were performed. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography was conducted via subcutaneous injection behind the ear to visualize lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. After making a skin incision along the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the external jugular vein, internal jugular veins, and associated lymph nodes were exposed. Adjacent veins were selected for anastomosis of lymph node. Using microsurgical techniques, end-to-side or end-to-end anastomosis was completed for lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Preoperative assessments included the mini-mental state examination (MMSE, a higher score indicates better cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog, a higher score indicates greater impairment of cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease cooperative study scale for activities of daily living (ADCS-ADL, a higher score indicates better ability to perform daily activity), and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI, a higher score indicates more severe behavioral and emotional symptom). Postoperative follow-up included the same scales to observe changes in cognitive function, activities of daily living, and emotional communication.Results:Four patients (1 male, 3 females, aged 58-79 years) with AD were included. All were diagnosed based on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. All patients successfully underwent bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses. On average, 4.3 (2-7 per person) anastomoses were performed per patient. Surgical procedures lasted an average of 6.5 h (5.5-8.5 h) with minimal blood loss (less than 50 ml). Patients resumed normal activity within 6 hours postoperatively and were discharged after an average of 4.1 d (3.5-5.0 d). Postoperative complications included one case each of aspiration pneumonia, lower limb venous thrombosis, and transient delirium, all of whom resolved without long-term effects. Clinical symptoms, including memory decline, mood swings, and anxiety, showed varying degrees of improvement. Patients reported enhanced quality of life, emotional stability, and social engagement, confirming the procedure’s safety and potential cognitive benefits. At one month postoperatively, the MMSE scores of the four patients increased by an average of 0.8 points compared to preoperative levels. Additionally, the two patients who completed the ADAS-Cog assessments showed a decrease in their scores (reduced by 1.0 points and 11.3 points, respectively, compared to preoperative scores), indicating a certain degree of improvement in cognitive function during this period. The ADCS-ADL and NPI scores of four patients varied significantly, without showing any clear pattern.Conclusion:Lymphovenous anastomosis of the deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis may provide a new surgical intervention approach for AD, but further large-scale studies and long-term follow-up are needed to validate its safety and effectiveness.
5.Exploration of the application of artificial intelligence assisted bleeding point recognition in laparoscopic pancreatic surgery
Lu PING ; Mengqing SUN ; Xianlin HAN ; Ruohan CUI ; Hu ZHOU ; Jile SHI ; Yuze HUA ; Surong HUA ; Wenming WU
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(10):920-925
Objective:To explore the clinical application value of artificial intelligence models in identifying bleeding events and hemorrhagic points during laparoscopic pancreatic surgery.Methods:This single-center retrospective cohort study collected surgical videos of 25 patients undergoing laparoscopic pancreatic surgery at the Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2022 to December 2024. Videos within 5 seconds before and after representative bleeding events were captured at 30 frames/s, with 11 666 hemorrhagic-related video frames annotated. Two algorithm models were developed: a pigment-based model and a pigment+optical flow-based model for classification and target recognition of bleeding frames. The training and test sets for the pigment-based algorithm contained 4 692 hemorrhagic and 4 309 non-hemorrhagic frames, while those for the pigment+optical flow model included 1 339 hemorrhagic and 1 326 non-hemorrhagic frames. Performance evaluation was conducted using overlap thresholds, with accuracy and recall rates as key metrics.Results:The pigment-based model achieved 93.8% accuracy (134/143) and 43.3% recall (134/310) in hemorrhagic frame classification. At an overlap threshold of 0.3, the pigment-based model showed 84.1% accuracy (433/515) and 85.4% recall (433/507) in target recognition. When the threshold was increased to 0.5, the pigment+optical flow model demonstrated 88.1% accuracy (354/402) and 89.2% recall (354/397) in hemorrhagic target recognition.Conclusions:It is difficult to distinguish active bleeding from old bleeding completely by pigment information alone. The spatio-temporal features can be effectively extracted by combining pigment and optical flow information, and the bleeding can be accurately identified and located, which has potential clinical application value.
6.Implementation efficacy of Guangxi's"regulations on medical dispute prevention and resolution"from healthcare practitioners' perspective
Ziyi YE ; Lu YE ; Qiwei LI ; Qingsong XIE ; Mengqing LIU
Modern Hospital 2025;25(5):669-672,678
Objective To assess the effectiveness of the Regulations on Medical Dispute Prevention and Resolution(hereafter referred to as the Regulations)and to provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the legal governance sys-tem of medical dispute management.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving physicians,nurses,techni-cians,clinical department directors,and head nurses.The investigation was conducted through literature review,questionnaire surveys,and expert interviews.Factor analysis and chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis.Results Significant differences(P<0.01)were observed among healthcare practitioners in Guangxi concerning their understanding of the Regula-tions,preferences for dispute resolution methods,implementation of informed consent,and risk intervention practices.However,no significant differences emerged in medical quality and safety evaluations or recommendations for surgical accident insurance.Conclusion This study suggests it is a need to refine the legal framework for medical dispute prevention and resolution.It is rec-ommended to strengthen medical personnel's compliance with informed consent obligations and deepen their understanding of rel-evant laws and regulations.Efforts should be intensified to promote third-party mediation mechanisms such as the Medical Dispute Mediation Committee(MedMC)and medical accident insurance coverage.Additionally,pre-dispute risk assessments should be enhanced,and a risk early intervention model integrating artificial intelligence,healthcare practices,and legal regulations should be established.
7.Predictive factors analysis of disease progression and short-term prognosis in patients with acute perforating artery cerebral infarction
Jile LYU ; Shang LEI ; Yujing LYU ; Mengqing MA ; Lili SONG ; Lu ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2025;22(6):373-382
Objective To investigate the predictive value of pan-immune-inflammation value(PIV),blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio(BAR),collateral circulation and National Institutes of Health stroke scale(NIHSS)score for disease progression and short-term prognosis in patients with acute perforating artery cerebral infarction(APACI).Methods Patients with APACI admitted to the Neurology Department of Anhui NO.2 Provincial People's Hospital from January 2019 to October 2024 were retrospectively enrolled in this study.General and clinical data,including age,gender,previous history(hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation),smoking history,drinking history,NIHSS scores at admission were collected.Fasting venous blood samples were collected from the patients within 24 h after admission to detect levels of neutrophils,lymphocytes,monocytes,platelets,blood urea nitrogen,and serum albumin.PIV(PIV=neutrophils × platelets × monocytes/lymphocytes)and BAR were calculated.The location of lesions and Fazekas classification of white matter lesions were evaluated using head MRI and MR angiography at admission.Collateral circulation status was assessed based on CT angiography upon admission.Disease progression was defined through comparing the NIHSS score at 72-hour after admission to the score at admission(an increase of 2 or more points in NIHSS score indicating disease progression).The patients were divided into a progression group and a non-progression group based on the increase in NIHSS score,as aforementioned.Patients follow-up was conducted through phone call or outpatient visits at 90 d after discharge.The modified Rankin scale(mRS)was used to evaluate the prognosis,with a mRS score of 0-2 indicates good prognosis,and a 3-6 indicates poor prognosis.Factors with statistically significant differences in univariate analysis were included in a multivariate Logistic regression analysis to explore the influencing factors of disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with APACI.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of each indicator for disease progression and poor prognosis in patients with APACI.Results A total of 165 patients with APACI were enrolled in this study,including 121 males and 44 females,aged 27-86 years,with an average of(61±11)years.Among all patients enrolled,56 patients were included in the progression group and 109 patients in the non-progression group,124 patients showed good prognosis and 41 patients had poor prognosis.No statistically significant differences were found in age,gender,smoking history,drinking history,hypertension,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation,lesion location,and Fazekas classification of white matter lesions between the progression group and the non-progression group(all P>0.05).While the NIHSS score at admission,proportion of poor collateral circulation,PIV and BAR in the progression group were significantly higher than those in the non-progression group(all P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high NIHSS score at admission(OR,1.177,95%CI 1.001-1.384,P=0.049),poor collateral circulation(OR,3.107,95%CI 1.216-7.939,P=0.018),high PIV(OR,1.006,95%CI 1.003-1.009,P=0.001),and high BAR(OR,1.610 × 109,95%CI 5.769 × 104-4.494 × 1013,P<0.01)were independent risk factors of disease progression in patients with APACI.ROC curve analysis results showed that the area under the curve(AUC)of combination of PIV,BAR,collateral circulation and NIHSS score at admission for predicting disease progression in patients with APACI was 0.914(95% CI0.861-0.952,P<0.01),which was greater than that of each indicator(all P<0.05).No statistically significant differences were found in smoking,drinking,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,coronary heart disease,atrial fibrillation,lesion location,and BAR between the poor prognosis and the good prognosis group(all P>0.05).Compared with the good prognosis group,the poor prognosis group had significantly older age and higher proportion of patients with diabetes,NIHSS score at admission,proportion of patients with poor collateral circulation,and PIV(all P<0.05).Moreover,the proportion of men in the poor prognosis group was lower than that in the good prognosis group(P=0.039).There was a statistically significant difference between the good prognosis group and the poor prognosis group in the Fazekas classification of white matter lesions(P<0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that high NIHSS score at admission(OR,1.345,95%CI 1.081-1.674,P=0.008),poor collateral circulation(OR,3.903,95%CI 1.061-14.355,P=0.040),and high PIV(OR,1.011,95%CI 1.005-1.017,P<0.01)were independent risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with APACI.The AUC for predicting poor prognosis in patients with APACI through combining PIV,collateral circulation and NIHSS score at admission was 0.911(95%CI 0.857-0.950,P<0.01),which is greater than using poor collateral circulation or NIHSS score at admission alone(both P<0.05).However,there was no statistically significant difference in AUC between the PIV,collateral circulation and NIHSS score combined predictive model and the PIV(alone)predictive model(P>0.05).Conclusions High PIV,high BAR,poor collateral circulation,and high NIHSS score at admission were independent risk factors of disease progression in patients with APACI.Combination of these four indices demonstrates relatively high predictive value for disease progression.In addition,high PIV,poor collateral circulation,and high NIHSS score at admission are independent risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with APACI.Joint detection of the three indices may assist in short-term prognosis evaluation of patients with APACI.
8.Implementation efficacy of Guangxi's"regulations on medical dispute prevention and resolution"from healthcare practitioners' perspective
Ziyi YE ; Lu YE ; Qiwei LI ; Qingsong XIE ; Mengqing LIU
Modern Hospital 2025;25(5):669-672,678
Objective To assess the effectiveness of the Regulations on Medical Dispute Prevention and Resolution(hereafter referred to as the Regulations)and to provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing the legal governance sys-tem of medical dispute management.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving physicians,nurses,techni-cians,clinical department directors,and head nurses.The investigation was conducted through literature review,questionnaire surveys,and expert interviews.Factor analysis and chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis.Results Significant differences(P<0.01)were observed among healthcare practitioners in Guangxi concerning their understanding of the Regula-tions,preferences for dispute resolution methods,implementation of informed consent,and risk intervention practices.However,no significant differences emerged in medical quality and safety evaluations or recommendations for surgical accident insurance.Conclusion This study suggests it is a need to refine the legal framework for medical dispute prevention and resolution.It is rec-ommended to strengthen medical personnel's compliance with informed consent obligations and deepen their understanding of rel-evant laws and regulations.Efforts should be intensified to promote third-party mediation mechanisms such as the Medical Dispute Mediation Committee(MedMC)and medical accident insurance coverage.Additionally,pre-dispute risk assessments should be enhanced,and a risk early intervention model integrating artificial intelligence,healthcare practices,and legal regulations should be established.
9.Clinical effect of indocyanine green angiography-assisted design and harvest of expanded flaps for scar reconstruction
Yanan HU ; Tingjun XIE ; Yuanbo LIU ; Shan ZHU ; Zengjie YANG ; Jia TIAN ; Cheng GAN ; Hu JIAO ; Shanshan LI ; Zixiang CHEN ; Lu ZHOU ; Bing HAN ; Shengyang JIN ; Yan ZENG ; Miao WANG ; Mengqing ZANG
Chinese Journal of Burns 2025;41(4):341-347
Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA)-assisted design and harvest of expanded flaps for scar reconstruction.Methods:This study was a retrospective observational study. From April 2019 to August 2023, 19 patients with scars (8 males, 11 females; aged 3-38 years) treated at the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences met the inclusion criteria. The scars were distributed on the head, face, trunk, and extremities. In stage Ⅰ surgery, skin soft tissue expanders were implanted in suitable areas around the scars for skin soft tissue expansion. In stage Ⅱ surgery, the scar tissue was excised, resulting in wound areas ranging from 100 to 210 cm 2, and expanded flaps were designed. ICGA was used to identify target perforators and their accompanying veins, and the flap design was adjusted to ensure the inclusion of complete arterial and venous axes. The expanded flap with an area of 120 to 240 cm2 was harvested using unilateral back-cut technique and transferred to the recipient site, and the donor site wound was sutured directly. The durations of the arterial and venous phases of ICGA during flap design were recorded. The length-to-width ratios of the back-cut flaps were calculated for different regions. After stage Ⅱ surgery, the blood perfusion and survival of the flap, the wound healing at the donor site, and the occurrence of complications were observed. During follow-up, the appearance, color, and texture of the patient's flap were observed. Results:The arterial phase of ICGA lasted 10-27 (18±5) s, and the venous phase lasted 78-116 (100±10) s. The length-to-width ratios of the back-cut flaps were 1.22±0.32, 1.63±0.12, and 1.15±0.21 for the head and neck, trunk, and limb regions, respectively. After stage Ⅱ surgery, one patient had a large area of insufficient blood perfusion in the flap. By comparing ICGA images before and after flap transfer, the sutures at the oral commissure were loosened, the blood flow of the flap was restored. The blood perfusion of the flaps in other patients was good. All flaps survived completely, with well-healed donor site wounds and no complications. During 0.5-14.0 months of follow-up, all flaps of patients demonstrated excellent appearance, with color and texture matching the surrounding skin.Conclusions:As a means of superficial blood flow visualization, ICGA can not only clearly show the microvascular distribution of the expanded flap before operation, assist in optimizing the design of the flap, but also evaluate the blood perfusion of the flap after operation, reduce the occurrence of complications, and provide a full-process navigation for the harvesting of expanded flaps, thereby improving the safety of flap transfer for scar reconstruction.
10.Short-term outcome study on cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Cheng GAN ; Zhengdong KONG ; Xiaoye RAN ; Shudong QIAO ; Yixin ZHANG ; Lu YUE ; Yingjie WANG ; Hui BI ; Dong YANG ; Hongtong MA ; Yuan CHEN ; Hongli CHAI ; Ying JIA ; Chenhao MA ; Zixiang CHEN ; Ke LI ; Miao WANG ; Liguo XUE ; Siwen ZHAO ; Ke WEN ; Lin YIN ; Bo DING ; Shan ZHU ; Yuanbo LIU ; Mengqing ZANG
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery 2025;41(2):130-143
Objective:To explore the short-term clinical effects of deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods:A prospective exploratory study was conducted on the treatment of AD patients using the cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in Scar and Wound Treatment Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from September to October 2024. The patients underwent high-frequency ultrasound to locate deep cervical lymph nodes and the external jugular vein. Under general anesthesia, bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses were performed. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography was conducted via subcutaneous injection behind the ear to visualize lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. After making a skin incision along the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the external jugular vein, internal jugular veins, and associated lymph nodes were exposed. Adjacent veins were selected for anastomosis of lymph node. Using microsurgical techniques, end-to-side or end-to-end anastomosis was completed for lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Preoperative assessments included the mini-mental state examination (MMSE, a higher score indicates better cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog, a higher score indicates greater impairment of cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease cooperative study scale for activities of daily living (ADCS-ADL, a higher score indicates better ability to perform daily activity), and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI, a higher score indicates more severe behavioral and emotional symptom). Postoperative follow-up included the same scales to observe changes in cognitive function, activities of daily living, and emotional communication.Results:Four patients (1 male, 3 females, aged 58-79 years) with AD were included. All were diagnosed based on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. All patients successfully underwent bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses. On average, 4.3 (2-7 per person) anastomoses were performed per patient. Surgical procedures lasted an average of 6.5 h (5.5-8.5 h) with minimal blood loss (less than 50 ml). Patients resumed normal activity within 6 hours postoperatively and were discharged after an average of 4.1 d (3.5-5.0 d). Postoperative complications included one case each of aspiration pneumonia, lower limb venous thrombosis, and transient delirium, all of whom resolved without long-term effects. Clinical symptoms, including memory decline, mood swings, and anxiety, showed varying degrees of improvement. Patients reported enhanced quality of life, emotional stability, and social engagement, confirming the procedure’s safety and potential cognitive benefits. At one month postoperatively, the MMSE scores of the four patients increased by an average of 0.8 points compared to preoperative levels. Additionally, the two patients who completed the ADAS-Cog assessments showed a decrease in their scores (reduced by 1.0 points and 11.3 points, respectively, compared to preoperative scores), indicating a certain degree of improvement in cognitive function during this period. The ADCS-ADL and NPI scores of four patients varied significantly, without showing any clear pattern.Conclusion:Lymphovenous anastomosis of the deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis may provide a new surgical intervention approach for AD, but further large-scale studies and long-term follow-up are needed to validate its safety and effectiveness.

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