We present herein a case of massive arterial thrombosis of a free rectus abdominal musculocutaneous flap used for reconstructive surgery of gingival carcinoma that could not be rescued. A 54-year-old woman underwent the operation. She had experienced two miscarriages in her 20s, but medical history was otherwise uneventful. Intraoperatively, the anastomosed artery often showed massive arterial thrombosis, and the flaps had become necrotic after bilateral flaps were used. Laboratory findings, 7 days postoperatively, showed high levels of immunoglobulin G anticardiolipin antibody. This value normalized by 2 months postoperatively after using chemotherapy. This case does not match the criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome, but some English-language reports have shown rising antiphospholipid antibody levels, particularly anticardiolipin antibodies, in patients with neoplasm. In those cases, levels have normalized after successful therapy. Antiphospholipid antibody levels should be examined before surgery to identify risks of hypercoagulability.
We have treated two patients who had an Achilles tendon and overlying tissue defect using an anterolateral thigh flap with fascia lata. Postoperatively, skeletal suspension of the affected leg and intra-arterial heparin infusion were performed for seven days. Six weeks postoperatively, the patients could walk again.
The reconstruction of large scalp and dural defects is difficult. Anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is now widely used because of its reliable blood supply to the skin paddle. Additionally, ALT can be harvested with a large skin paddle and large, well-vascularized fascia. We have successfully treated eight scalp and dural composite defect cases (five male and three female) using ALT with vascularized fascia. The patients' mean age was 59.1 ± 20.4 years ranging from 31 to 83 years. The mean dural defect size was 73 ± 21 cm 2 , ranging from 50 to 120 cm 2. There were no postoperative infections, bleeding, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or meningitis. Further discussion about the usefulness of vascularized fascia may be required and we believe that plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, and neurosurgeons should report on the results of dural reconstruction.
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