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Published on: January 15, 2017
The use of free groin flaps in children
Matthew Hough1, Chris Fenn, Simon P Kay
1The Children's Hand Clinic, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Insights
The free groin flap offers reliable soft-tissue coverage for children, demonstrating a low complication rate comparable to adult series. This reconstructive technique is safe and effective for various pediatric surgical needs.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery
Background:
- The free groin flap is a standard technique for skin coverage.
- Limited published data exists specifically on its use in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of free groin flaps in pediatric patients.
- To analyze the complication rates and outcomes in children undergoing this procedure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 33 consecutive free groin flap cases in children.
- Data collected over a 9-year period (1992-2001).
- Flaps used for congenital defects, tumor resection, and trauma reconstruction.
Main Results:
- The majority of flaps (79%) were used for upper limb reconstruction.
- Overall complication rate was favorable compared to adult series, with a 6% failure rate.
- Reconstruction success was high, with 7 of 8 re-explored flaps surviving.
Conclusions:
- The free groin flap is a reliable and safe reconstructive option for pediatric patients.
- The procedure offers minimal morbidity in children.
- This technique is suitable for covering defects in various anatomical locations in pediatric cases.
Abstract:
The free groin flap is a well-established method of skin coverage. Although its use in children has been reported, there have been no published series specifically in such cases. The authors report 33 consecutive cases of free groin flaps in children in their unit over a period of 9 years (1992 to 2001). Tissue transfer was performed to provide soft-tissue coverage during reconstruction of congenital defects and tumor resection and following trauma. Twenty-six cases (79 percent) involved the upper limb, six cases (18 percent) involved the lower limb, and one case involved the head. The complication rate compares favorably with similar series published for adults, with only two complete failures (6 percent), three (9 percent) minor donor-site complications (superficial wound infection, hypertrophic scarring, and dog-ears), and nine flaps requiring debulking. The reexploration rate was 24 percent, with seven of the eight flaps undergoing reexploration surviving. The groin flap is a reliable flap that can be used safely in children, with minimal morbidity.
