[Defect coverage after severe soft tissue infections: when and how?]

[Fasciocutaneous bridge flap to cover defects on the lower leg after compartment syndrome with a complication-prone course : An "almost" forgotten safe flap procedure]

This article reports on a complicated case of a soft tissue defect with challenging soft tissue coverage on the lower leg. After a lower leg fracture and treatment with a tibial nail, a 29-year-old man developed compartment syndrome due to massive secondary bleeding with a lesion of the common peroneal nerve and muscle necrosis around the fibular muscles. The initial coverage with split skin showed no tendency to heal, so the patient was admitted to this hospital with a soft tissue defect of approximately 25 cm × 10 cm on the lateral lower leg with an exposed tibia over a length of 15 cm. The primary attempt was coverage with a split-thickness skin graft after secondary granulation; however, due to the previously damaged vascular supply, the wound demonstrated a delayed incomplete healing over 8 months. In addition, X‑ray imaging revealed a nonunion and a resulting screw fracture of the two distal locking screws. The indications for revision surgery to treat the fracture and change the implant were fulfilled. In the same procedure, the residual cutaneous defects were closed. Given the previously complication-prone course and a difficult local blood flow situation, the choice of reconstruction procedures was limited. A bridge flap of the medial lower leg was performed in an interdisciplinary approach. The lifting defect was covered with split-thickness skin. In this way, the wound was finally adequately covered after 1 year.

Analysis of Factors Determining Patient Survival after Receiving Free-Flap Reconstruction at a Single Center-A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Microsurgical tissue transfer revolutionized reconstructive surgery after extensive trauma, oncological resections, and severe infections. Complex soft tissue reconstructions are increasingly performed in multimorbid and elderly patients. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate whether these patients benefit from these complex procedures.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the outcome for multimorbid patients who underwent microsurgical soft tissue reconstruction and to identify potential risk factors that may increase mortality.

METHODS

This single-center study retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data of patients receiving free gracilis (GM) or latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) flap reconstruction between September 2017 and December 2021. Cases were divided into two groups (dead vs. alive), depending on patient survival. Patient demographics, comorbidities and medication, perioperative details, free flap outcome, as well as microcirculation were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 151 flaps (LDM, n = 67; GM, n = 84) performed in 147 patients with a mean age of 61.15 ± 17.5 (range 19-94) years were included. A total of 33 patients (22.45%) passed away during the study period. Deceased patients were significantly older (Alive: 58.28 ± 17.91 vs. Dead: 71.39 ± 11.13; p = 0.001), were hospitalized significantly longer (Alive: 29.66 ± 26.97 vs. Dead: 36.88 ± 15.04 days; p = 0.046) and suffered from cardiovascular (Alive: 36.40% vs. Dead: 66.70%; p = 0.002) and metabolic diseases (Alive: 33.90% vs. Dead: 54.50%; p = 0.031) more frequently, which corresponded to a significantly higher ASA Score (p = 0.004). Revision rates (Alive: 11.00% vs. Dead: 18.20%; p = 0.371) and flap loss (Alive: 3.39% vs. Dead: 12.12%; p = 0.069) were higher in patients that died by the end of the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Free flap transfer is safe and effective, even in multimorbid patients. However, patient age, comorbidities, preoperative ASA status, and medication significantly impact postoperative patient survival in the short- and mid-term and must, therefore, be taken into account in preoperative decision-making and informed consent.