[Use of pedicled cutaneous groin flaps in distal reconstruction of the upper extremity]

In the years 1981-1997 at the Department of Plastic Surgery Medical Centre for Postsgraduate Education in Warsaw 116 patients were treated surgically using groin flaps and 97 patients using a pedicled cutaneous groin flap. This paper reports the results of the later technique. Reconstructions were performed in 10 female patients aged 18-58 (mean age 37.5 years) and 87 male patients aged 15-67 (mean age 33.8 years). The tissue defects or acquired deformations were caused by: crush injuries (26 cases), scalping injuries (23 cases), rugged injuries (18 cases), avulsion trauma (15 cases), explosion injuries (8 cases) and electric burns (7 cases). Flap size depended upon extent of the tissue defect and the from flaps were 7-26 cm long and 4-12 cm wide. Flap area ranged from 35 to 260 square centimetres. Emergency procedures were performed in 59 patients (61%). Secondary reconstructions were carried out in 38 cases (39%). Operative technique was based on the rules described by McGregor and Jackson. The donor site was sutured primarily tubulizing its basis--as in tube flap. The flap pedicle was cut off during a one stage procedure in 41 patients 21-30 days (mean 23 days) after surgery or during a two-stage procedure in 56 cases. The two-stage procedure consisted of an incision of part of the pedicle after 15-45 days post-op (mean 21 days) followed by a complete dissection after a few days (mean 4 days). In 44 cases the flap required modelling i.e. excision of excessives kin and/or thinning of subcutaneous tissue. The flap healed in 96 patients (99%). Complications at different stages of the treatment were observed in 40 patients (41%). In 3 cases wound ischemia was observed because of too tight suturing. Removal of skin sutures lead to normalization of blood supply. In 7 patients cyanotic skin of the distal part with no significant consequences was observed. In 27 patients (28%) necrosis of the marginal tissues surrounding the operation wound after cutting of the pedicle was noted. Besides supported necrectomy a conservative treatment was also applied by putting dressings soaked with antiseptics and 0.5% neomycine solution on a daily basis. This prolonged treatment by further several weeks. No significant complications were observed at the donor site.