Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Using Pedicled Antero Lateral Thigh Flap

Area of Science:

• Reconstructive surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Surgical techniques

Background:

• Abdominal wall defects present a significant surgical challenge, varying from soft tissue loss to full-thickness defects.
• Causes include peritonitis, laparotomies, tumor resections, and trauma.
• Current treatment options include component separation, partition technique, flap coverage, and acellular dermal matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Pedicled Anterolateral Thigh (ALT) flap in reconstructing abdominal wall defects.
• To assess the outcomes of this technique in a cohort of patients undergoing reconstructive surgery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving 20 patients operated for abdominal wall defects between 2016 and 2020.
• The Pedicled ALT flap was utilized for reconstruction in all cases.
• Data collected included patient demographics, defect etiology, operative time, and postoperative hospital stay.

Main Results:

• The study included 20 patients (14 males, 6 females) with diverse etiologies for defects (burns, trauma, tumor resection, peritonitis).
• Mean patient age was 48 years, with a mean fascial defect size of 14.2 cm.
• Mean operative time was 170 minutes, and mean postoperative hospital stay was 12 days.

Conclusions:

• The Pedicled ALT flap serves as a valuable addition to the reconstructive surgeon's toolkit for abdominal wall defect repair.
• This technique demonstrates feasibility and applicability across a range of abdominal wall defect presentations.