The Clinical Results of Vascularized Free Tissue Transfer for Acute Severe Limb Injuries

Abstract

In the treatment of acute severe limb injuries, prevention of deep infection is a key factor; thus, sufficient debridement and reconstruction with vascularized free tissue transfer are the mainstays of treatment. This was a retrospective study for 9 consecutive patients (8 men, 1 woman; mean age: 44 years) who underwent vascularized free tissue transfer for acute severe limb injuries with a mean follow-up period of 17 months. The clinical outcomes at the final follow-up were reviewed and analyzed. The types of injuries were as follows: forearm open fracture in 3 patients, forearm amputation in 1, and open tibia fracture in 5. The mean waiting time from injury to surgery was 36 days. The flap survival rate was 90%, and deep infection was observed in one patient. A correlation was found between the waiting time from injury to surgery and the length of hospital stay. The clinical outcomes of free tissue transfer for acute severe limb injuries were relatively favorable. Early reconstruction should be considered as a treatment option because it is particularly effective in improving the flap survival rate and reducing the duration of the treatment.