Alternative Methods to Local Flap Applications in Large Tissue Losses Caused by Gunshot Injuries in the Syrian War

In gunshot injury (GSI), the distance, ballistic properties, and the site of injury of lead or scattering gain importance. The authors investigated alternative methods to local flap applications in large tissue losses on facial regions caused by GSI in the Syrian War at the light of our approaches and outcomes.

The study was designed as a cross-sectional retrospective clinical cohort analyze. The authors analyzed data describing the distribution and comparisons of 187 Syrian patients who injured in the war due to GSI and transferred to our medical center from Jan 2011 and June 2018. The study included data of the patients with demographics, mechanisms of a war injury, clinical data, treatment, and outcomes.

131(70%) of all the patients were soldiers, while the rest 56 was civilians. 58% (n = 108) of the GSI was female while remaining was males (42%; n = 79). The rate for children was 32% in all the patients as the most common soft tissues of the face were around the maxilla-zygoma (38.4%), orbita-nose region (29.3%), mandibula-teeth (18.5%). The authors performed a fascio cutaneous transposition flap that was planned from the cervical region (58%), interpolation flap that was planned from the frontotemporal region (28%), and forehead rotation flap (14%). The authors did not lose any patients due to plastic reconstruction.

The fasciocutaneous transposition flap, interpolation flap, and forehead rotation flap that The authors apply to these patients are extremely rare flaps today. These flap applications have achieved tremendous outcomes, even without any sign of necrosis in war surgery.