Journal of Trauma and Injury

The Korean Society of Traumatology (대한외상학회)
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Free tissue transfer for reconstruction of axillary defects: two case reports

  • Asha Deepthi Bathini (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Parvathi Ravula (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Srinivas Jammula (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Yashoda Hospitals) ;
  • Srikanth Rangachari (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Priyanka Pereira (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences)
  • Received : 2023.04.13
  • Accepted : 2023.05.19
  • Published : 2023.12.31
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Abstract

Axillary defects need pliable, vascular tissue to cover the critical structures traversing the axilla and to allow near-normal range of motion in the shoulder. Although local flaps are the first choice, free tissue transfer is a good option when local tissues are injured or scarred. Herein, we report two cases of axillary defects that were reconstructed using anterolateral thigh free flaps. One was a post-electric burn axillary defect for which a thoracoacromial pedicle was used as the recipient, and the other was a posttraumatic axillary defect with the transverse cervical vessels as the recipient. In both patients, the flap survived well with no complications and resulted in adequate functional recovery. In large defects of the axilla with a scarcity of local tissues, free flaps can yield optimal results. The proper selection of recipient vessels and a donor flap with adequate pedicle length impact the outcomes of such reconstruction.

Keywords

References

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