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Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery logoLink to Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery
. 2022 Apr;36(4):451–455. [Article in Chinese] doi: 10.7507/1002-1892.202111047

穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术在下肢远端软组织缺损修复中的临床应用

Application of perforator propeller flap sequential transfer technique in repair of soft tissue defect of distal lower extremity

Xiaoye RAN 1, Yuanbo LIU 1, Ruomeng YANG 1, Mengqing ZANG 1,*
PMCID: PMC9011071  PMID: 35426285

Abstract

Objective

To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of perforator propeller flap sequential transfer technique in repair of soft tissue defect of distal lower extremity.

Methods

Between July 2015 and July 2021, 10 patients with soft tissue defect of distal lower extremity were treated with perforator propeller flap sequential transfer technique. There were 8 males and 2 females, with a median age of 47 years (range, 6-71 years). The etiologies included malignant tumor in 5 cases, trauma in 3 cases, postburn scar contracture in 1 case, and diabetic foot ulcer in 1 case. The defects were located at the pretibial area in 1 case, the distal lower extremity and Achilles tendon in 3 cases, the dorsum of foot and lateral malleolar area in 4 cases, the heel in 1 case, and the plantar foot in 1 case. The size of the defect ranged from 5 cm×3 cm to 8 cm×8 cm. Peroneal artery perforator propellor flaps (the 1st flap) in size of 14 cm×4 cm to 29 cm×8 cm were used to repair the defects of distal lower extremity. The donor site defects were repaired with the other perforator propeller flaps (the 2nd flap) in size of 7 cm×3 cm to 19 cm×7 cm. The donor site of the 2nd flap was directly closed.

Results

All the operations were successfully completed and all of the 2nd flaps were elevated within 1 hour. Eight the 1st flaps survived completely; 2 had venous congestion. Among the 2 patients with venous congestion, 1 had necrosis of the distal end of the flap, and the secondary wound was repaired by skin grafting; 1 recovered spontaneously after 7 days. The 2nd flaps totally survived. No complication such as hematoma or infection occurred. Primary closure was achieved in all the recipient and donor sites. All patients were followed up 2-39 months, with a median of 15.5 months. The color, texture, and thickness of the flaps matched well with those of recipient sites. The normal contour of the leg was preserved. During follow-up, no recurrence of malignance or ulcer was observed. The scar contracture was completely released. All patients were satisfied with the reconstructive outcomes.

Conclusion

The application of the perforator propeller flap sequential transfer technique can improve the repair ability of the lower extremity perforator propeller flap while ensuring the first-stage closure of the donor site, thereby improving the effectiveness.

Keywords: Soft tissue defect of distal lower extremity, perforator flap, propeller flap, flap sequential transfer technique, donor site repair


肿瘤切除、创伤等原因造成的小腿远端和足踝部缺损,常伴有肌腱、韧带或骨等重要组织暴露,需要血运良好的组织瓣进行修复[1]。近年来,有关穿支螺旋桨皮瓣修复下肢缺损的报道越来越多[2-4],其中腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣因较薄且质地柔软,成为常用皮瓣之一[5-7]。然而,该皮瓣切取面积较大时,供区无法直接拉拢缝合,需要皮片移植修复[8]。但植皮后供区颜色深暗、外形凹陷,皮片与深层组织粘连,影响肌肉功能,严重影响了手术整体效果。为降低供区损伤,我们采用了穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术,即术中切取腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣(第1皮瓣)同时,在该皮瓣近端另切取1块穿支螺旋桨皮瓣(第2皮瓣)修复第1皮瓣切取后遗留缺损,以确保一期关闭皮瓣供区,极大地提高了手术修复效果。2015年7月—2021年7月,我们将该技术用于临床修复10例下肢远端软组织缺损,获得了良好疗效。报告如下。

1. 临床资料

1.1. 一般资料

本组男8例,女 2 例;年龄 6~71 岁,中位年龄47岁。恶性肿瘤切除后遗留创面5例,其中2例合并假体外露;外伤3例,其中2例合并跟腱断裂;烧伤后瘢痕挛缩1例;糖尿病足溃疡1例。创面部位:胫前区1例,小腿远端和跟腱3例,足背和外踝4例,足跟1例,足底1例。创面范围为5 cm×3 cm~8 cm×8 cm。患者临床资料详见表1

表 1.

The clinical data of patients

患者临床资料

序号
No.
性别
Gender
年龄(岁)
Age (years)
创面位置
Defect location
诊断
Diagnosis
创面面积(cm×cm)
Defect size (cm×cm)
合并症
Comorbidity
第 1 皮瓣面积
(cm×cm)
The 1st flap size
(cm×cm)
第 2 皮瓣
The 2nd flap
随访时间
(月)
Follow-up
time
(months)
并发症
Complication
面积
(cm×cm)
Size
(cm×cm)
类型
Pattern
1 57 右足背部及外踝部 外伤 8.0×7.0 食管癌 13×7 8×5 腓动脉穿支皮瓣 39
2 55 左足底部 黑色素瘤 7.5×5.0 29×8 14×6 腓肠内侧动脉穿支皮瓣 38
3 18 左足跟部 尤文肉瘤 8.0×6.0 15×7 10×4 腓动脉穿支皮瓣 35
4 18 左外踝部 纤维肉瘤 8.5×4.5 22×5 10×3 腓肠外侧动脉穿支皮瓣 23
5 61 左外踝部 糖尿病足溃疡 9.0×7.0 糖尿病 23×9 12×5 腓肠外侧动脉穿支皮瓣 17
6 46 左小腿远端及跟腱 外伤 9.0×7.0 跟腱断裂 15×8 12×3 腓肠外侧动脉穿支皮瓣 14
7 48 左小腿远端及跟腱 外伤 7.0×5.0 跟腱断裂 12×5 14×6 腓动脉穿支皮瓣 13
8 6 右跟腱 烧伤后瘢痕挛缩 5.0×3.0 14×4 7×3 腓动脉穿支皮瓣 14 第1皮瓣部分坏死
9 19 右胫前区 骨肉瘤复发 8.0×6.0 假体外露 15×7 9×4 腓肠外侧动脉穿支皮瓣 14
10 71 左外踝部 软骨肉瘤 8.0×8.0 假体外露 25×8 19×7 腓动脉穿支皮瓣 2 第1皮瓣静脉回流不畅

1.2. 手术方法

1.2.1. 术前设计

首先,术前对缺损位置、形状和大小进行评估。在小腿外侧标记腓骨头后缘和外踝两个骨性标志点,并作两点连线。应用便携式超声多普勒血流探测仪在连线附近探测穿支血管,标记信号最强、距离缺损最近的穿支血管,将其作为皮瓣旋转点设计腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣(第1皮瓣)。按照螺旋桨皮瓣设计原则,以旋转点为分界,将皮瓣分为大桨和小桨,在旋转点近端区域设计大桨,大桨长度稍长于旋转点至缺损最远端的距离,用于修复受区缺损;在旋转点和缺损之间设计小桨,用于辅助关闭供区。

然后,在小腿近端后外侧区域,再次应用便携式多普勒血流探测仪探测第1皮瓣周围的穿支血管,同样选择信号最强、距离缺损最近的穿支血管为供血血管,遵循螺旋桨皮瓣设计原则设计第2皮瓣,用于修复第1皮瓣供区缺损。第2皮瓣宽度以供区能直接拉拢缝合为度。

1.2.2. 皮瓣切取及修复

全身麻醉下,患者取侧卧位。术中应用双极电凝器止血,未用止血带,以便观察穿支血管搏动情况。首先,沿第1皮瓣设计线切开皮瓣前缘,在深筋膜深面剥离寻找术前标记的腓动脉穿支血管,选择动脉搏动明显且具有良好伴行静脉的穿支血管为蒂,并根据最终选择的穿支血管位置调整皮瓣设计。结扎切断其他穿支血管,掀起皮瓣,进一步在肌肉内或者肌间隔内逆向剥离穿支血管,获得足够长度的血管蒂。皮瓣以穿支血管为蒂旋转适当角度,大桨修复创面,小桨辅助修复供区。切取第1皮瓣时,注意保护第2皮瓣的穿支血管。

第1皮瓣切取完毕后,在小腿近端沿设计线切开第2皮瓣一侧,在深筋膜深面剥离探查术前标记的穿支血管,同样选择动脉搏动明显且具有良好伴行静脉的穿支血管为蒂,根据第1皮瓣供区缺损位置、大小和第2皮瓣血管蒂位置设计皮瓣,第2皮瓣类型详见表1。按照上述方法切取皮瓣,旋转一定角度修复第1皮瓣供区缺损。第2皮瓣供区均直接拉拢缝合。第1、2皮瓣下放置负压引流。

本组第1皮瓣切取范围为14 cm×4 cm~29 cm×8 cm;血管蒂长度为3~4 cm,平均3.3 cm;1例皮瓣旋转角度为90°,其余皮瓣均旋转180°;所选穿支血管位于外踝标志点上方5~9 cm,平均6.2 cm。第2皮瓣切取范围为7 cm×3 cm ~ 19 cm×7 cm;穿支血管源血管包括腓动脉5例,腓肠外侧动脉4例,腓肠内侧动脉1例;血管蒂长度为2.5~3.5 cm,平均3.0 cm;1例皮瓣旋转120°,其余均旋转180°。所有穿支皮瓣均以1支穿支血管为蒂。

1.3. 术后处理

术后抬高患肢以减轻水肿,予以补液、抗感染、抗血管痉挛等支持治疗。术后48 h内密切观察皮瓣血运情况。术区引流量<30 mL/d时拔除引流。术后14 d拆线,患者逐步恢复正常行走活动。

2. 结果

本组手术均顺利完成,第2皮瓣切取均在1 h内完成。第1皮瓣中8例完全成活;1例出现静脉回流不畅致皮瓣远端1/3坏死,采用皮片移植成功修复继发创面;1例出现静脉回流不畅,未作特殊处理,7 d后自行缓解。第2皮瓣均完全成活,未出现血肿、感染等并发症;创面Ⅰ期愈合。

10例患者均获随访,随访时间2~39个月,中位时间15.5 个月。皮瓣颜色、质地和厚度与受区相似,小腿轮廓未发生明显改变。随访期间肿瘤患者未见复发,瘢痕挛缩获得矫正,糖尿病足溃疡未见破溃。患者均对修复效果满意。见图1

图 1.

Case 10

病例10

红色箭头示第1皮瓣 白色箭头示第2皮瓣 黑色箭头示缺损范围 a. 术前皮瓣设计;b. 术中切取皮瓣;c. 术中将第1皮瓣旋转180° 覆盖足踝部创面,将第2皮瓣旋转180° 修复第1皮瓣供区缺损;d. 术后即刻外观;e. 术后2个月外观

Red arrow for the 1st flap  White arrow for the 2nd flap Black arrow for the defect a. Preoperative flap design; b. The flaps were elevated intraoperatively; c. The 1st flap was rotated 180° to repair the resultant wound following the tumor resection intraoperatively and the 2nd flap was rotated 180° to repair the donor site of the 1st flap; d. Appearance at immediat after operation; e. Appearance at 2 months after operation

图 1

3. 讨论

3.1. 下肢远端软组织缺损修复中的供区问题和解决方案

小腿远端和足踝部皮肤菲薄、皮下脂肪少,损伤后易造成肌腱、韧带或骨组织外露,常需应用血运丰富的游离皮瓣或局部带蒂皮瓣等组织瓣修复[1]。修复难点在于最大程度减少供区损伤前提下,取得最佳修复效果。腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣是修复下肢远端软组织缺损的常用皮瓣[5-7],多用于修复外踝和跟腱处创面,也可以用于修复足背前外侧、足底和足跟创面。不足之处在于皮瓣切取面积较大时,供区无法一期关闭,需要植皮修复[8]。而植皮可能导致关节活动受限、供区凹陷畸形、颜色深暗、增生性瘢痕等问题,严重影响修复效果,从而成为影响皮瓣修复整体效果的主要因素,也限制了腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣在局部创面修复中的广泛应用。

虽然采用皮肤扩张技术可以实现供区的直接关闭[9],但是皮肤扩张所需时间长,无法用于恶性肿瘤或创伤患者创面的治疗。分叶皮瓣是通过将血供同源的多个皮瓣拼接成一个较大皮瓣,在修复大面积缺损的同时,实现供区直接关闭[10],但皮瓣设计复杂、手术难度大。1988年,Elliot等[11]首次报道了尺动脉皮瓣连续转移技术,以协助关闭前臂桡侧皮瓣供区缺损。该技术可以避免植皮带来的问题,降低供区损伤,从而提高了整体修复效果。此后,国内外许多学者应用该技术修复股前外侧皮瓣等常用皮瓣的供区缺损[12-14],与植皮修复供区缺损相比,修复效果得到极大提高[15]。2004年,Wei等[16]首次提出“自由设计穿支皮瓣”的概念,认为只要应用超声多普勒血流探测仪探查到穿支血管信号,即可以此信号为基础设计穿支皮瓣,术中采用穿支血管逆向剥离技术,能获得足够长度血管蒂,从而成功切取穿支皮瓣。这一理念摆脱了必须以知名血管为蒂设计皮瓣的束缚,极大地提高了修复下肢远端缺损时皮瓣类型选择的灵活性。我们发现只要在皮瓣供区附近探查到穿支血管信号,即可尝试切取穿支皮瓣(第2皮瓣),用于关闭供区缺损。

3.2. 穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术要点

本组患者的腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣供区缺损位于小腿外侧中段,其中部分缺损由第1皮瓣小桨修复,剩余部分则由邻近的第2皮瓣修复。Sharma等[8]采用自比目鱼肌穿出的胫后动脉肌皮穿支血管为蒂的螺旋桨皮瓣,成功修复游离腓骨瓣供区缺损。他们认为上述穿支血管集中于小腿中下1/3交界处,为避免损伤这些穿支血管,游离腓骨瓣的皮岛应尽量设计在较低位置。与腓骨瓣不同,腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣的位置不能随意设计,应取决于腓动脉穿支血管以及缺损位置,具有明显的个体差异,因此第2皮瓣的设计需要更灵活。我们发现小腿近端有很多穿支皮瓣可以用作连续转移皮瓣。Lee等[17]发现小腿近端外侧区域恒定存在1 ~ 2支来自不同源动脉(腓动脉、胫腓干、胫后动脉和腘动脉)的穿支血管,其中63%为肌间隔穿支血管,37%为肌皮穿支血管。此外,Shimizu等[18]发现在小腿后侧至少存在1支来自腓肠内侧动脉或腓肠外侧动脉的穿支血管。本组第2皮瓣穿支血管蒂中5例来自腓动脉,均为肌间隔穿支血管;4例来自腓肠外侧动脉,1例来自腓肠内侧动脉,均为肌皮穿支血管。以上述穿支血管为蒂,皮瓣旋转120° ~ 180°,成功辅助关闭第1皮瓣供区。

第2皮瓣设计和切取技术要点包括:① 彻底探查并标记供区周围的穿支血管。② 沿小腿长轴设计皮瓣[19],从而将不同穿支血管之间的血管连接包括在皮瓣内。③ 第2皮瓣宽度在6 cm以内时,小腿近端缺损可以直接关闭。此外,在设计该皮瓣时,宽度可较供区缺损略窄1~2 cm;因利用皮肤弹性和移动性,使缺损边缘产生小幅度牵拉,可缩小供区缺损的宽度[8]。④ 穿支螺旋桨皮瓣转移时,血管蒂的旋转和扭曲有可能损害血管,因此在维持围术期血压稳定前提下,为保持穿支血管内血流通畅,如皮瓣需旋转180°,而穿支血管口径为1 mm时,皮瓣血管蒂长度应不小于3 cm[20]。遵循上述技术要点,本组第2皮瓣全部成活。然而,有2例腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣出现了静脉回流不畅,我们认为皮瓣设计较长、超出了穿支静脉的回流能力可能是出现静脉回流不畅的主要原因。对于过长的皮瓣,通过多吻合1条皮瓣静脉,可以较好地避免术后静脉回流不畅发生[21]

3.3. 穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术的优点和适应证

优点:① 将丰富的皮源从小腿近端转移到了远端,增加了腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣切取宽度。本组腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣最大宽度为9 cm,在修复远端大面积缺损的同时,也保证了一期关闭供区缺损。② 避免了游离植皮修复供区缺损引起的一系列问题,极大地减小了供区损害,小腿正常形态和颜色得以维持,达到了美学修复效果。③ 避免了在其他部位取皮的额外损伤和相关手术风险,减少了患者不适。④ 术中第2皮瓣切取及供区修复可以在1 h内完成,与传统游离植皮修复所需时长接近。

适应证:穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术适用于修复小腿远端和足踝部大面积软组织缺损。但不宜应用该技术修复远端过大缺损,否则第2块皮瓣供区无法一期关闭。另外,如果腓动脉穿支血管位置过高,用于修复缺损的皮瓣供区达到小腿近端1/3,则无法再从该区域切取第2皮瓣。

综上述,在小腿近端存在多种穿支螺旋桨皮瓣可用于连续转移协助关闭腓动脉穿支螺旋桨皮瓣供区。利用穿支螺旋桨皮瓣连续转移技术修复小腿远端和足踝部较大面积皮肤软组织缺损,在确保缺损修复的同时,能一期关闭供区缺损,从而提高了整体修复效果。

利益冲突 在课题研究和文章撰写过程中不存在利益冲突

伦理声明 研究方案经中国医学科学院整形外科医院医学伦理委员会批准

作者贡献声明 冉小叶:数据整理分析、文章撰写;刘元波:手术治疗、对文章的知识性内容作批评性审阅;杨若梦:参与患者治疗、对文章的知识性内容进行审阅;臧梦青:临床试验设计、文章构思及修改

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Articles from Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery are provided here courtesy of Sichuan University

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