[The Anterolateral Thigh Flap in the Acutely Burned Patient: Three Cases]

Burning is a major health problem. Surgical management in the acute phase of severe burn injuries remains a challenge for plastic surgeons. There are different means of coverage, including free flaps. The anterolateral flap, due to its multiple advantages, remains an excellent choice. We report three cases of managing severe burns in their acute phase. These were three patients admitted for serious burn and managed with free anterolateral thigh flaps in the acute phase, from February 2010 to August 2016. Reconstruction was performed between the 25th day and 4 months after the burn. Doppler tracking of perforators was performed. All flaps had a single perforator and the vascular anastomoses were end to end. Donor areas were either sutured or grafted. The average operative time was 8 hours. Evolution was favorable, without any complications and with good integration of flaps. Functional and aesthetic results were satisfactory. Surgical treatment of burn injuries in the acute phase must be effective in order to reduce possible after-effects. Free flaps, previously reserved for the management of after-effects, currently constitute an essential element of the therapeutic arsenal in the acute phase. The free anterolateral thigh flap, due to its multiple advantages, constitutes an appropriate choice for covering lesions when other means are proving inadequate.