Arch Reconstr Microsurg.  2014 Nov;23(2):101-104. 10.15596/ARMS.2014.23.2.101.

Pedicled Perforator Flaps for Reconstruction of Bilateral Knee Defects: A Case Report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Plastic Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. tasuko@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the knee has always been a challenging task for plastic surgeons. Various reconstructive choices are available depending on the location, size, and depth of the defect relative to the knee joint. Defects on the knee joint have several characteristic features. The use of a free flap is preferred for reconstructions involving obliteration of large-cavity defects, but recipient pedicle isolation can be difficult because of the extent of the injury zone. Furthermore, the true defect during knee joint flexion is larger than during knee joint extension, and a durable flap is necessary for joint movement. We report for the first time on the use of pedicled perforator flaps for reconstruction of bilateral knee defects in a 76-year-old woman. The operative procedure required skeletonizing the perforators of an antero-lateral thigh flap and antero-medial thigh flap and rotating the flap in the defect. The patient returned to normal daily activity and had a full range of motion two months after the accident. The shorter operating time with decreased donor site morbidity and its durability make this flap a valuable alternative for soft tissue reconstruction of the knee.

Keyword

Knee; Pedicled flap; Perforator flap

MeSH Terms

Aged
Female
Free Tissue Flaps
Humans
Joints
Knee Joint
Knee*
Perforator Flap*
Range of Motion, Articular
Skeleton
Surgical Flaps
Surgical Procedures, Operative
Thigh
Tissue Donors
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