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 differential efficacy and safety profiles of oral mucosa (OM) grafts compared with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts in the surgical management of long-segment urethral strictures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 27 patients who underwent graft urethroplasty for long-segment urethral strictures in Peking University First Hospital, spanning from May 2010 to September 2023. The patient cohort comprised 14 individuals who received OM grafts and 13 who underwent ADM grafts. The participants were stratified into two groups based on the type of grafts material utilized during surgery. The demographic and clinical baseline characteristics included an average age of (43.3±14.0) years in the OM group and (54.2±15.9) years in the ADM group. The mean body mass index (BMI) for the respective groups were (24.7±4.3) kg/m² for OM and (25.4±4.8) kg/m² for ADM. Etiological differences were noted, with idiopathic causes predominantly in the OM cohort and lichen sclerosus in the ADM cohort. RESULTS: The surgical interventions were successfully executed for all the patients. The median stricture length was 4.5 (2.5, 9.0) cm for the OM group and 5.0 (2.0, 14.0) cm for the ADM group (P=0.555). The median operative duration was 160 (71, 221) min for the OM group and 134 (112, 274) min for the ADM group (P=0.065). The catheterization durations was 1.5 (1.0, 6.0) months for the OM group and 3.0 (1.0, 3.0) months for the ADM group. The median postoperative follow-up duration was 12.5 (1.0, 170.0) months for the OM group and 59.0 (3.0, 142.0) months for the ADM group. The surgical success rates were 50.00% in the OM group and 53.85% in the ADM group. No statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative quality of life (QoL) or international prostate symptom score (IPSS) at the final follow-up. The stricture-free survival rates did not differ significantly (HR=0.875, 95%CI: 0.507-1.511, P=0.6). In terms of safety, three patients in the OM group experienced sexual dysfunction, and two had oral complications, whereas the ADM group had one case of postoperative infection. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that ADM grafts are comparable to OM grafts in terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of long-segment urethral strictures, including complex cases attributed to lichen sclerosus. However, given the small sample size of this study, the above conclusions may have certain limitations. Larger cohort studies will be needed in the future to further validate these findings.
Humans ; Urethral Stricture/surgery* ; Acellular Dermis ; Mouth Mucosa/transplantation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Aged

Objective:To analyze the application efficacy of employing high-density porous polyethylene （Su-por） in combination with temporoparietal fascial flaps via a minimally invasive scalp incision in auricular reconstruction. Methods:This study carried out a retrospective analysis of 50 patients （50 ears in total） who underwentprimary auricular reconstruction with a Su-por scaffold in our hospital from June 2022 to January 2024. All patients underwent primary auricular reconstruction using a minimally invasive scalp incision with high-density porous polyethylene （Su-por） and temporoparietal fascial flaps. The postoperative treatment effects and complications were statistically analyzed. Results:The reconstructed ears of all patients survived. After 6 months of follow-up, the scar hyperplasia of the scalp minimally invasive incision was not obvious in any patient, and no significant hair loss was observed. The reconstructed auricle of 48 patients had a realistic shape and strong three-dimensional sense. With the extension of follow-up time, the three-dimensional structure of the auricle became clearer, and patient satisfaction increased. Among the remaining two patients, one case of flap necrosis survived after skin grafting and dressing changes. One patient had scar hyperplasia at the incision of the reconstructed ear due to a scar-prone constitution, and the shape of the auricle was not ideal, but the scar hyperplasia at the scalp incision was not obvious. Conclusion:One-stage ear reconstruction with high-density porous polyethylene （Su-por） combined with superficial temporal fascia flap through a minimally invasive scalp incision can better show the fine structure of the reconstructed ear. The minimally invasive scalp incision can effectively reduce the occurrence of scar hyperplasia and postoperative alopecia at the scalp incision.
Humans ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Flaps ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Polyethylene ; Ear Auricle/surgery* ; Male ; Scalp/surgery* ; Female ; Skin Transplantation ; Fascia/transplantation* ; Porosity ; Adult ; Middle Aged

Objective:To investigate the application value of nasolabial flaps in addressing tissue defects after resection of benign and malignant nasal vestibular lesions. Methods:The clinical data of patients with benign and malignant nasal vestibular lesions were analyzed retrospectively. There were 4 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 2 cases of black hairy nevus and 1 case of chronic proliferative inflammatory lesions, all of which were repaired by adjacent nasolabial flap. Results:After 6 months of follow-up, none of the patients developed nasal vestibular contracture or nostril stenosis, and postoperative nasal ventilation function was good. Conclusion:The preoperative design of individual nasolabial flaps is very important for maintaining maxillofacial aesthetics, protectingthe nasolabial framework, and preserving postoperative nasal ventilation function.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Nose/surgery* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery* ; Aged ; Skin Transplantation

Objective:To observe the effects of different repair methods in the defects after Mohs surgical excision of malignant nasal tumors. Methods:Twenty-two cases of external nasal malignant tumor surgery from January 2021 to May 2024 were selected as the research. The tumors were resected using Mohs surgical technique, and the defects were repaired using forehead axial flap, bipedicle flap, nasolabial flap, free full-thickness skin graft from the groin, forehead axial flap, facial kite flap, and composite flap of earlobe cartilage and perichond. The postoperative flap survival, external nasal morphology, and tumor recurrence were observed. Results:Among the 22 cases, there were 1 case of Kaposis sarcoma（KS）, 2 cases of squ cell carcinoma, and 19 cases of basal cell carcinoma. Tumors were located at the nasal root in 3 cases, the nasal dorsum in5 cases, the nasal tip in 2 cases, the ala in 8 cases, both the ala and the nasal dorsum in 2 cases, nasal columella, the nasal tip, and the ala in 1 case, the nasal tip, the nasal dorsum, the ala, and paranasal area in 1 case. The size of the defects ranged from 1.2 cm×1.4 cm to 3.7 cm×4.8 cm. Three cases were repaired with forehead axial flaps, four cases with bilobed flaps, thirteen cases with nasolabial groove flaps, one case with free full-thickness skin grafts from the inguinal region, and one case with a combination of forehead axial flaps and facial kite flaps plus a composite of earlobe cartilage and perichondrium. All flaps survived well after surgery. Patients were followed up for 6 months to 3 years after surgery, during which no tumor recurrence was observed, and most patients were satisfied with appearance of their nose. Conclusion:Mohs surgery is used to excise the malignant tumor of the external nose, and satisfactory surgical results can be obtained by using different repair methods based the location and size of the postoperative defect.
Humans ; Mohs Surgery/methods* ; Nose Neoplasms/surgery* ; Surgical Flaps ; Skin Transplantation ; Male ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/surgery* ; Skin Neoplasms/surgery* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Nose/surgery* ; Aged ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/surgery*

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*