Background It is challenging to treat adherent scar with bone exposed wounds in the full-segment anterior tibial due to the poor soft tissue condition of the calf in clinical practice. Therefore, free anterolateral thigh perforator flap grafting, a commonly used therapy to address the above challenge, warrants scholarly attention.
Objective To observe the effect of free anterolateral thigh perforator flap grafting in treating adherent scar with bone exposed wounds in the full-segment anterior tibial.
Methods Clinical data about 18 patients with adherent scars with bone exposed wounds in full-segment anterior tibial who were treated with free anterolateral thigh perforator flaps in our hospital from September 2017 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results There were 8 males and 10 females, aged from 17 to 49 years, with median age of 32 years. The wound area ranged from 22 cm × 8 cm to 28 cm × 15 cm, and the anterolateral thigh perforator flap was 24 cm × 10 cm to 30 cm × 17 cm in size. The flaps all survived in 18 cases, and all wounds healed by first intention. The donor site was directly closed and sutured in the first intention or was reduced in the first intention and then repaired with free skin grafts in the second intention. The patients were followed up for 6 to 12 months after the operation, with an average of 9.2 months. All patients with adherent scars with bone exposed wounds in full-segment anterior tibial were healed. Among them, 2 cases of skin flaps were ruptured and recovered after dressing changes.
Conclusion The free anterolateral thigh perforator flap grafting is a flexible option, which can treat adherent scars with bone exposed wounds in the full-segment anterior tibial satisfactorily.
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