• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2000

The microsurgical reconstruction is necessary for elderly patients to treat severe trauma and head and neck tumor. The aim of this study is to analyze the risks of microvascular surgery and whether or not happening of more complication in elderly patients who are older than 60 years old and to suggest the solution of the complication. The retrospective study included 41 elderly patients who underwent treatment of 44 microsurgical reconstructions among total 271 cases of microsurgical reconstruction from July, 1988 to December, 1998. Their ages ranged from 61 years to 79 years. There were 26 males and 15 females. The involved sites were 23 head and necks, 13 upper gastrointestinal tracts, 3 lower extremities, 1 chest and 1 sacral region. The causes of microsurgical reconstruction were 36 head and neck tumors, 2 radionecrosis, 2 traumas and 1 melanoma in lower limb. The used flaps were 14 radial forearm flaps, 13 jejunal flaps, 10 latissimus dorsi muscle flaps, 3 rectus abdominis muscle flaps, 2 lateral arm flaps, 1 scapular flap, and 1 iliac osteocutaneous flap. They had medical problems which were 29 tobacco abuse, 14 hypertensions, 13 alcohol abuse, 10 chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, 7 diabetes mellituses, 3 ischemic heart diseases. All patients have had successful results without specific complications except 3 cases of free flap failure and 3 perioperative death. The causes of 3 flap failures were 2 flap necrosis due to arterial insufficiency and 1 flap loss due to secondary infection. All of these cases were treated with secondary free flap surgery. However 3 patients died perioperatively due to 2 respiratory arrests and 1 sepsis. It was not related to operate microsurgical reconstruction itself, but was correlated with the complication of postoperative care after head and neck surgery. We conclude that plastic surgeons consider the importance of prevention of expected complication as thorough analysis of operative risk factor and appropriate treatment. We had to select the donor and recipient vessel appropriately to perform successful microsurgery in elderly patients and consider vein graft and end-to-side anastomosis to reduce complication if necessary. In addition, we emphasize the importance of pre, peri and postoperative care in head and neck cancer patients to reduce postoperative complication and morbidity.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.359-370
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• 1994

The reconstruction of major head and neck defects must be an integral part of the overall cancer treatment plan. The priorities of surgical treatment of head and neck tumor are 1) local tumor control, 2) relief of pain, 3) avoidance of difficult dressing, 4) provision of oral continence, and 5) ability to swallow and manage saliva. The recent advances in reconstructive surgery including the development of musculocutaneous flaps and microvascular free tissue transfer have allowed the surgical restoration of head and neck tumor defects that previously were not possible. These techniques have provided the opportunity to undertake larger, more aggressive resection while at the same time permitting functional rehabilitation. The timing of reconstruction demands on the nature of the resection, the ability of the ablative and reconstructive teams to coordinate efforts, the overall health of the patients, the patient's needs and wishes. So, we report to emphasize current methods for restoring major head and neck tumor defects after tumor ablation, reviewing for the reconstructive operations, postoperative complications, and postoperative sequelae etc, of patients from Jan, 1990 to Dec, 1993.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2020

The ability to directly harvest thin and superthin perforator flaps without jeopardizing their vascularity depends on knowledge of the microsurgical vascular anatomy of each perforator within the subcutaneous tissue up to the dermis. In this paper, we report our experience with ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound (UHF-US) in the preoperative planning of thin and superthin flaps. Between May 2017 and September 2018, perforators of seven patients were preoperatively evaluated by both ultrasound (using an 18-MHz linear probe) and UHF-US (using 48- and 70-MHz linear probes). Thin flaps (two cases) and superthin flaps (five cases) were elevated for the reconstruction of head and neck oncologic defects and lower limb traumatic defects. The mean flap size was 6.5×15 cm (range, 5×8 to 7.5×23 cm). No complications occurred, and all flaps survived completely. In all cases, we found 100% agreement between the preoperative UHF-US results and the intraoperative findings. The final reconstructive outcomes were considered satisfactory by both the surgeon and the patients. In conclusion, UHF-US was found to be very useful in the preoperative planning of thin and superthin free flaps, as it allows precise anticipation of very superficial microvascular anatomy. UHF-US may represent the next frontier in thin, superthin, and pure skin perforator flap design.

• 대한미세수술학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.180.1-180.1
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• 1996

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.650-652
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• 2015

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.134-138
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• 2019

Colon interposition is commonly used for esophageal reconstruction in patients with a previous gastrectomy. However, when colon interposition fails and alternative reconstruction is required, there are few options for reconstructing the long segment from the esophagus to the stomach. Here, we report on cases of esophagogastric reconstruction with limited alternative options after the failure of transverse and left colon interposition. In these cases, reconstruction was performed using two different microvascular methods: double-pedicle jejunal free flap and supercharged ileocolic interposition graft.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.41
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• pp.30.1-30.8
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• 2019

Background: Advancements in the field of microvascular surgery and the widespread adoption of microvascular surgical techniques have made the use of osteocutaneous fibula free flaps the standard of care in the surgical management of segmental mandibular defects. Although the literature possesses abundant evidence to support the effectiveness of fibula free flaps as a reconstructive method, there are relatively few studies reporting on outcomes as objectively measured by videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS). The purpose of this study is to explore the potential correlation between early postoperative VFSS and the long-term swallowing outcomes in patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction with fibula free flaps. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 36 patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction with osteocutaneous fibular free flaps between 2009 and 2012. Demographics, clinical variables, VFSS data, and diet information were retrieved. Penetration and aspiration findings on VFSS, long-term oral feeding ability, and the need for gastrostomy tube were statistical endpoints correlated with postoperative clinical outcomes. Results: Thirty-six patients were reviewed (15 females and 21 males) with a mean age of 54 years (7-81). Seventeen cases were treated for malignancy. The size of the bony defect ranged from 3 to 15 cm (mean = 9 cm). The cutaneous paddle, a surrogate for soft tissue defect, ranged from 10 to 125 ㎠ (mean = 52 ㎠). A gastrostomy tube was present in patients preoperatively (n = 8), and postoperatively (n = 14). Seventeen patients had neoadjuvant exposure to radiation. Postoperative VFSS showed penetration in 13 cases (36%) and aspiration in seven (19%). Overall, 29 patients (80.6%) achieved unrestricted diet, and this was statistically correlated with age (p = 0.037), radiation therapy (p = 0.002), and preoperative gastrostomy tube (p = 0.03). The presence of penetration or aspiration on VFSS was a strong predictor for long-term unrestricted oral diet (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Early postoperative VFSS is an excellent predictor for long-term swallowing outcomes in patients undergoing mandibular reconstruction with osteocutaneous fibula free flaps.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.365-370
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• 2019

The syndrome of the trephined is a neurologic phenomenon that manifests as sudden decline in cognition, behavior, and sensorimotor function due to loss of intracranial domain. This scenario typically occurs in the setting of large craniectomy defects, resulting from trauma, infection, and/or oncologic extirpation. Cranioplasty has been shown to reverse these symptoms by normalizing cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism. However, successful reconstruction may be difficult in patients with complex and/or hostile calvarial defects. We present the case of a 48-year-old male with a large cranial bone defect, who failed autologous cranioplasty secondary to infection, and developed rapid neurologic deterioration leading to a near-vegetative state. Following debridement and antibiotic therapy, delayed cranioplasty was accomplished using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant with free chimeric latissimus dorsi/serratus anterior myocutaneous flap transfer for vascularized resurfacing. Significant improvements in cognition and motor skill were noted in the early postoperative period. At 6-month follow-up, the patient had regained the ability to speak, ambulate and self-feed-correlating with evidence of cerebral/ventricular re-expansion on computed tomography. Based on our findings, we advocate delayed alloplastic implantation with total vascularized soft tissue coverage as a viable alternative for reconstructing extensive, hostile calvarial defects in patients with the syndrome of the trephined.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.99-105
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• 1996

The reconstruction of esophageal defect after ablative surgery have more difficult than other digestive tract tumor because the restoration of anatomical and physiologic function is difficult, the risk of tumor invasion into the adjacent tissue is large. The reconstruction of cervical esophus was depended on the degree of resection of the esophagus, various reconstruction method was developed to minimize functional deficiency and deformity of cervical region. Recently, the free jejunal transfer or free radial forearm flap was commonly utilized for esophageal reconstruction due to development of technique of the microvascular anastomosis. After the esophageal reconstruction used by free jejunal transfer was reported by Seidenberg in 1951, jejunum is most commonly used for reconstruction of esophgus. Becaue of, it have been tubed anatomical similarity with muscular layer, relative small risk of complication, possible of oral intake within 10 days after operation, and early rehabilitaion. Authors have been treated esophageal defect with free jejunal transfer in 7 patients after resection of lesion in 6 eshageal cancer and 1 esophageal stricture from December 1994 to January 1996. We were transferred jejunum used by intercostal artery as recipient artery in 3 cases, it was satisfied with results. If intercostal artery was utilized as recipient artery for free jejunal transfer, we believe that any site of intrathoracic or intraabdominal esophageal defect is possible to recontruction.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.284-293
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• 2013

Purpose: For reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial defects caused by tumor, trauma, infection etc, free flap transplantation with microvascular surgery is a very useful method. Thrombus formation at the anastomosis site is the major cause of graft failure. 4-Hexylresorcinol (4-HR) is generally known as an antiseptic and antiparasitic agent. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of 4-HR on blood coagulation in vitro. In addition, we investigated thrombus formation and endothelial repair of an injured vessel in an animal model. Methods: In the in vitro experiment, we compared blood coagulation time between the 4-HR treated group and normal blood. Thirty rats were used for in vivo animal experiments. After exposure of the right femoral vein, a micro vessel clamp was placed and the femoral vein was intentionally cut. Microvascular anastomosis was performed on all rats using 10-0 nylon under microscopy. The animals were divided into two groups. In the experimental group (n=15), 4-HR (250 mg/kg) mixed with olive oil (10 mL/kg) was administered per os daily. Animals in the control group (n=15) were given olive oil only. The animals were sacrificed at three days, seven days, and fourteen days after surgery and rat femoral vein samples were taken. Vascular patency and thrombus formation were investigated just before sacrifice. Histologic analysis was performed under a microscope. Results: Results of an in vitro blood coagulation test showed that coagulation time was delayed in the 4-HR treated group. The results obtained from an in vivo 4-HR administered rat model showed that the patency of all experimental groups was better at thirty minutes, seven days, and fourteen days after microvascular anastomosis than that of the control group at seven and fourteen days after anastomosis, and the amount of thrombus in the experimental groups was much less than that of the control group. Endothelial repair was observed in the histologic analysis. Conclusion: Findings of this study demonstrated that blood coagulation was delayed in the vitro 4-HR treated group. In addition, good vascular patency, anti-thrombotic effect, and repair of venous endothelial cells were observed in the vivo 4-HR administered rat group.