OBJECTIVE: To investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of covering amputated raw surface with free tissue transplantation from damaged limbs. METHODS: Between August 2010 and June 2011, 5 cases of severe injury of lower extremities were treated, including 4 males and 1 female with an age range of 3 years and 8 months to 43 years. Of them, 3 cases suffered from traffic accident injury and 2 had machine injury. The disease duration was 2-9 hours. Among the 5 cases, 1 suffered from half pelvis destruction and traumatic amputation of hip joint, 1 from comminuted open fracture of proximal femur, and another 3 from thigh destruction with survival soft tissue of legs. All cases were treated with emergency operation of amputation. The raw surface of the residual stumps was 20 cm x 10 cm to 20 cm x 20 cm in size. Two lateral anterior thigh flaps and 3 posterior tibial artery flaps were harvested from the damaged limbs. The flap size ranged from 15 cm x 10 cm to 25 cm x 20 cm. The wounds were repaired with free tissue transplantation. RESULTS: Five transplanted tissue flaps were survival. Skin necrosis occurred in the wound edge at 7-10 days postoperatively and was cured after excision of necrotic tissue, dressing change or vacuumed drainage for 1-2 months. All wounds healed and the patients were followed up 1-3 months. No sinus tract or ulceration was observed. The appearance of stumps was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of repairing amputated raw surface with free tissue transplantation from amputated limbs is satisfactory. It is an effective procedure to repair the raw surface of amputated stumps.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of covering amputated raw surface with free tissue transplantation from damaged limbs. METHODS: Between August 2010 and June 2011, 5 cases of severe injury of lower extremities were treated, including 4 males and 1 female with an age range of 3 years and 8 months to 43 years. Of them, 3 cases suffered from traffic accident injury and 2 had machine injury. The disease duration was 2-9 hours. Among the 5 cases, 1 suffered from half pelvis destruction and traumatic amputation of hip joint, 1 from comminuted open fracture of proximal femur, and another 3 from thigh destruction with survival soft tissue of legs. All cases were treated with emergency operation of amputation. The raw surface of the residual stumps was 20 cm x 10 cm to 20 cm x 20 cm in size. Two lateral anterior thigh flaps and 3 posterior tibial artery flaps were harvested from the damaged limbs. The flap size ranged from 15 cm x 10 cm to 25 cm x 20 cm. The wounds were repaired with free tissue transplantation. RESULTS: Five transplanted tissue flaps were survival. Skin necrosis occurred in the wound edge at 7-10 days postoperatively and was cured after excision of necrotic tissue, dressing change or vacuumed drainage for 1-2 months. All wounds healed and the patients were followed up 1-3 months. No sinus tract or ulceration was observed. The appearance of stumps was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of repairing amputated raw surface with free tissue transplantation from amputated limbs is satisfactory. It is an effective procedure to repair the raw surface of amputated stumps.