• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.492-495
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• 2010

Purpose: Facial tumor excision is a common cause of lower eyelid defect in old patients. Many methods have been introduced for the reconstruction of lower eyelid. However, conventional surgical method can cause various complications like scar, ectropion and unnatural color matching. Thus, we introduce a simple and aesthetically acceptable method for the reconstruction of lower eyelid defect. Methods: Three elderly patients with skin cancer in the unilateral lower eyelid were operated by the new method. Following a wide excision of skin cancer, subcilliary incision of lower blepharoplasty was carried out. Elevated skin flap of lower eyelid was redrapped for the correction of defect and the remnant skin from lateral portion of lower eyelid was used for full thickness skin graft (FTSG) to correct the remaining defect. Results: All grafts survived and color match of the graft was excellent without ectropion. Furthermore, wrinkles of the lower eyelid were improved after the blepharoplasty. Conclusion: Lower eyelid defect resulting from wide excision of malignant tumor in old patients could be reconstructed successfully by modifying the conventional lower eyelid blepharoplasty along with FTSG using the remnant skin.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.427-431
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• 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe a simple, convenient, and reliable new technique using local full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) for skin coverage of a donor-site defect of the radial forearm free flap (RFFF). Patients and Methods: Between April 2016 and April 2021, five patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma underwent mass resection combined with RFFF reconstruction. After RFFF harvesting, donor-site defects were restored by proportional local FTSG. Results: The donor-site defects ranged in size from 24 to 41.25 cm², with a mean of 33.05 cm². Good or acceptable esthetic outcomes were obtained in all five patients. There was no dehiscence, skin necrosis, wound infection, or severe scarring at the graft site through the end of the postoperative follow-up period, and no patient had any specific functional complaint. Conclusion: The proportional local FTSG showed promising results for skin coverage of the donor-site defect of the RFFF. This technique could decrease the need for skin grafts from other sites.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.829-835
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• 2011

Purpose: The two major concerns in skin grafting are poor color match in the recipient site and the donor site morbidity. And, glabrous skin on the palmar aspect of the hands and plantar aspect of the feet attributes define the skin on the palm and fingers sole as functionally and aesthetically different from skin on other parts of the body. When there is a glabrous skin defect, it should be replaced with similar skin to restore function and aesthetics. The palmar crease areas were used to minimize these problems. The purpose of this study is to present the precise surgical technique of the full thickness skin graft using distal palmar and midpalmar creases for aesthetic better outcome for hand injuries. Methods: From May 2006 to April 2010, 10 patients with 11 defects underwent glabrous full thickness skin grafting of finger defects. Causes included seven machinery injuries, two secondary burn reconstructions, and one knife injury. Donor sites included ten glabrous full thickness skin graft from the distal palmar crease and one from the midpalmar crease. Results: Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 24 months. All glabrous skin grafts demonstrated complete taking the recipient sites and no incidence of the complete or partial loss. The donor site healed without complications, and there were no incidences of significant hypopigmantation, hyperpigmentation, or hypertrophic scarring. Conclusion: The important aspects of this method involve immediate return of glabrous skin to the defect site and restoration of the recipient site's crease by simple primary closure from adjacent skin. The glabrous skin of the palm provides the best tissue match for the reconstruction of the hands, but only a limited amount of tissue is available for this purpose. Full thickness skin grafting using palmar crease of the defects is the ideal way of reconstructing glabrous skin to restore both function and aesthetics and minimize donor site morbidity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.337-343
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• 2014

Background The reconstruction of large skin and soft tissue defects on the lower extremities is challenging. The skin graft is a simple and frequently used method for covering a skin defect. However, poor skin quality and architecture are well-known problems that lead to scar contracture. The collagen-elastin matrix, Matriderm, has been used to improve the quality of skin grafts; however, no statistical and objective review of the results has been reported. Methods Thirty-four patients (23 male and 11 female) who previously received a skin graft and simultaneous application of Matriderm between January 2010 and June 2012 were included in this study. The quality of the skin graft was evaluated using Cutometer, occasionally accompanied by pathologic findings. Results All 34 patients showed good skin quality compared to a traditional skin graft and were satisfied with their results. The statistical data for the measurement of the mechanical properties of the skin were similar to those for normal skin. In addition, there was no change in the engraftment rate. Conclusions The biggest problem of a traditional skin graft is scar contracture. However, the dermal matrix presents an improvement in skin quality with elastin and collagen. Therefore, a skin graft along with a simultaneous application of Matriderm is safe and effective and leads to a significantly better outcome from the perspective of skin elasticity.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

Whether a seven days course of anti-${\alpha}{\beta}$-T cell receptor-antibody (${\alpha}{\beta}$-TCRmAb) combined with FK506 therapy promotes survival of limb allografts in fully MHC-mismatched combination (Brown Norway $\rightarrow$ Lewis) was examined. Eight animals received 250 ${\mu}g$/kg/day of ${\alpha}{\beta}$-TCRmAb for 7 days and 2 mg/kg/day of FK506 postoperatively (Combination therapy group). Eight animals had FK506 only (Mono-therapy group) and five animals did not have treatment (Control group). Clinical signs of early rejection with edema or erythema in the skin occurred at an average of 8.6${\pm}$1.5 days postoperatively in Control group and 59.0${\pm}$8.3 days in Mono-therapy group, both of which proceeded to irreversible rejection with necrosis of the epidermis and finally mummification. In Combination therapy group, all animals showed evidence of early rejection at an average of 56.8${\pm}$12.6 days postoperatively, however, in 4 of 8 limbs, early rejection resolved without any treatment and limbs survived >1 year. At 9 months postoperatively, donor skin grafts were accepted and third-party skin grafts were rejected by all four survivors, demonstrating donor-specific tolerance. Little or no detectable chimerism was observed in any of the 4 surviving animals at one-year postoperatively. Combination therapy of ${\alpha}{\beta}$-TCRmAb and FK506 resulted in long-term survival in fully MHC-mismatched limb transplants.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.106-115
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• 2023

Background Primary contraction of full-thickness graft has been traditionally quoted to be 40%. There are lacunae in literature to elaborate on the factors influencing it ever since. Methods About 75 subjects who underwent full-thickness grafting procedures to resurface small defects were included in the study. The initial and final graft dimensions after primary contraction were traced on X-ray templates and the percentage of contraction was evaluated using the graphical method. This was further correlated with age, collagen, elastic matrix metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) and -2 content along with dermal thickness of the skin specimen sent from the graft. Results The primary contraction of the graft had a very significant correlation only with the initial size of graft harvested with a linear regression of 33.3% and a Spearman's correlation of 0.587 significant at a p-value of 0.001. Conclusion This study though preliminary tries to highlight an important factor that primary contraction of grafts is a physical phenomenon independent of its contents like collagen, elastin, or MMP-1 and -2 or age and dependent on its initial size of harvest instead.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제44권5호
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• pp.370-377
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• 2017

Background Composite grafts are frequently used for facial reconstruction. However, the unpredictability of the results and difficulties with large defects are disadvantages. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) express several cytokines, and increase the survival of random flaps and fat grafts owing to their angiogenic potential. Methods This study investigated composite graft survival after ADSC injection. Circular chondrocutaneous composite tissues, 2 cm in diameter, from 15 New Zealand white rabbits were used. Thirty ears were randomly divided into 3 groups. In the experimental groups (1 and 2), ADSCs were subcutaneously injected 7 days and immediately before the operation, respectively. Similarly, phosphate-buffered saline was injected in the control group just before surgery in the same manner as in group 2. In all groups, chondrocutaneous composite tissue was elevated, rotated 90 degrees, and repaired in its original position. Skin flow was assessed using laser Doppler 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days after surgery. At 1 and 12 days after surgery, the viable area was assessed using digital photography; the rabbits were euthanized, and immunohistochemical staining for CD31 was performed to assess neovascularization. Results The survival of composite grafts increased significantly with the injection of ADSCs (P<0.05). ADSC injection significantly improved neovascularization based on anti-CD31 immunohistochemical analysis and vascular endothelial growth factor expression (P<0.05) in both group 1 and group 2 compared to the control group. No statistically significant differences in graft survival, anti-CD31 neovascularization, or microcirculation were found between groups 1 and 2. Conclusions Treatment with ADSCs improved the composite graft survival, as confirmed by the survival area and histological evaluation. The differences according to the injection timing were not significant.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.418-423
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• 2016

Background Skin grafting is a relatively simple and thus widely used procedure. However, the elastic and structural quality of grafted skin is poor. Recently, various dermal substitutes have been developed to overcome this disadvantage of split-thickness skin grafts. The present study aims to determine the feasibility of RapiGraft as a new dermal substitute. Methods This prospective study included 20 patients with partial- or full-thickness skin defects; the patients were enrolled between January 2013 and March 2014. After skin defect debridement, the wound was divided into two parts by an imaginary line. Split-thickness skin grafting alone was performed on one side (group A), and RapiGraft and split-thickness skin grafting were used on the other side (group B). All patients were evaluated using photographs and self-questionnaires. The Manchester scar scale (MSS), a chromameter, and a durometer were used for the scar evaluation. The average follow-up period was 6 months. Results The skin graft take rates were 93% in group A and 89% in group B, a non-significant difference (P=0.082). Statistically, group B had significantly lower MSS, vascularity, and pigmentation results than group A (P<0.05 for all). However, the groups did not differ significantly in pliability (P=0.155). Conclusions The present study indicates that a simultaneous application of RapiGraft and a split-thickness skin graft is safe and yields improved results. Therefore, we conclude that the use of RapiGraft along with skin grafting will be beneficial for patients requiring reconstructive surgery.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.79-81
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• 2015

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long lasting autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis are predisposed to development of chronic skin ulcers. In addition, skin ulcers with rheumatoid arthritis tend to persist despite treatment because of sustained inflammation and poor healing capacity. Treatment of skin ulcers involves medications, wound coating agents, and surgical procedures including skin grafting, however, wound dressing or skin grafts are generally excluded because of excessive cost and time and poor intake rate. The dorsal metacarpal artery perforator (DMAP) flap, a vascular island flap for coverage of soft tissue defects on the fingers, provides promising results including matched quality and color. We experienced a case of DMAP flap for reconstruction of a rheumatoid ulcer, and a DMAP flap may be considered as a good faithful option for treatment of patients with rheumatoid ulcer.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.126-132
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• 2014

Background Extensive degloving injuries of the extremities usually result in necrosis of the flap, necessitating comprehensive skin grafting. Provided there is a sufficient tool to evaluate flap viability, full-thickness skin can be used from a nonviable avulsed flap. We used a Wood's lamp to determine the viability of avulsed flaps in the operation field after intravenous injection of fluorescein dye. Methods We experienced 13 cases during 16 months. Fifteen minutes after the intravenous injection of fluorescein dye, the avulsed skin flaps were examined and non-fluorescent areas were marked under Wood's lamp illumination. The marked area was defatted for full-thickness skin grafting. The fluorescent areas were sutured directly without tension. The non-fluorescent areas were covered by defatted skin. Several days later, there was soft tissue necrosis within the flap area. We measured necrotic area and revised the flap. Results Among all the cases, necrotic area was 21.3% of the total avulsed area. However, if we exclude three cases, one of a carelessly managed patient and two cases of the flaps were inappropriately applied, good results were obtained, with a necrotic area of only 8.4%. Eight patients needed split-thickness skin grafts, and heel pad reconstruction was performed with free flap. Conclusions A full-thickness skin graft from an avulsed flap is a good method for addressing aesthetic concerns without producing donor site morbidity. Fluorescein dye is a useful, simple, and cost-effective tool for evaluating flap viability. Avulsed flap injuries can be managed well with Wood's lamp illumination and a full-thickness skin graft.