Riccardo Di Giuli1, Matteo Zago2, Giada A Beltramini3, Maria Ludovica Pallotta1, Alessandro Bolzoni3, Alessandro Baj4, Aldo Bruno Giannì5, Chiarella Sforza6. 1. Resident, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy, and Maxillofacial and Dental Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, Milan, Italy. 2. Postdoctoral Student, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy, and Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. 3. Research Associate, Maxillofacial and Dental Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, Milan, Italy, and Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. 4. Adjunct Professor, Maxillofacial and Dental Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, Milan, Italy, and Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. 5. Professor and Unit Head, Maxillofacial and Dental Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, Milan, Italy; and Director, Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. 6. Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: chiarella.sforza@unimi.it.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate donor-site clinical morbidity and changes in kinematic gait parameters after the harvest of a vascularized free fibula flap for facial reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 14 patients (aged 50 ± 15 years) in a longitudinal study. Every patient underwent a double evaluation in which a presurgical assessment and 6-month postsurgical assessment were performed. Subjective donor-site evaluation was carried out through unstructured clinical questioning about pain, paresthesia, walking ability, and restrictions in activity. Further subjective evaluations were assessed through the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and the Point Evaluation System for Lower Extremity Fibulectomy. A clinical evaluation of the donor site assessed muscular deficits, sensibility disturbance, and wound healing. Temporal and spatial kinematic parameters were measured through gait analysis during overground walking at a comfortable speed. RESULTS: Postsurgical clinical examinations detected 1 patient affected by a neurologic disorder and 3 patients with donor-site pain, whereas 10 patients (71%) declared no residual alterations in the operated leg. On average, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score was 367 of 2,400, and the Point Evaluation System for Lower Extremity Fibulectomy score was 19 of 24. Presurgical versus postsurgical gait analysis comparison showed no significant differences in gait parameters except for a 6% reduction in the double-support phase. Stance values were higher for the operated limb in both evaluations (+1.3% before surgery, +1.8% after surgery). No alterations were detected in the range of motion of the lower-limb joints. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the slight modification of the gait pattern, which is not usually perceived by patients, vascularized free fibula flap harvest was generally associated with successful functional and subjective outcomes of the donor site.
PURPOSE: The purpose was to evaluate donor-site clinical morbidity and changes in kinematic gait parameters after the harvest of a vascularized free fibula flap for facial reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 14 patients (aged 50 ± 15 years) in a longitudinal study. Every patient underwent a double evaluation in which a presurgical assessment and 6-month postsurgical assessment were performed. Subjective donor-site evaluation was carried out through unstructured clinical questioning about pain, paresthesia, walking ability, and restrictions in activity. Further subjective evaluations were assessed through the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and the Point Evaluation System for Lower Extremity Fibulectomy. A clinical evaluation of the donor site assessed muscular deficits, sensibility disturbance, and wound healing. Temporal and spatial kinematic parameters were measured through gait analysis during overground walking at a comfortable speed. RESULTS: Postsurgical clinical examinations detected 1 patient affected by a neurologic disorder and 3 patients with donor-site pain, whereas 10 patients (71%) declared no residual alterations in the operated leg. On average, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score was 367 of 2,400, and the Point Evaluation System for Lower Extremity Fibulectomy score was 19 of 24. Presurgical versus postsurgical gait analysis comparison showed no significant differences in gait parameters except for a 6% reduction in the double-support phase. Stance values were higher for the operated limb in both evaluations (+1.3% before surgery, +1.8% after surgery). No alterations were detected in the range of motion of the lower-limb joints. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the slight modification of the gait pattern, which is not usually perceived by patients, vascularized free fibula flap harvest was generally associated with successful functional and subjective outcomes of the donor site.