PMID- 22582118
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
DCOM- 20120823
LR  - 20220330
IS  - 1937-5719 (Electronic)
IS  - 1937-5719 (Linking)
VI  - 12
DP  - 2012
TI  - Versatility of the anterolateral thigh free flap: the four seasons flap.
PG  - e21
LID - e21
AB  - Presented at the following academic meetings:o 56th Meeting of the Italian 
      Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (SICPRE) Fasano 
      (Brindisi), Italy, September 26-29, 2007o 42nd Meeting of the European Society 
      for Surgical Research (ESSR), Warsaw, Poland, May 21-24, 2008o Winter Meeting, 
      British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, (BAPRAS) 
      London, December 1-3, 2009BACKGROUND: The anterolateral free flap has become 
      increasingly popular at our institution year on year. We decided to review our 
      experience with this flap and study the reasons for this trend. METHODS: A 
      retrospective review of all anterolateral thigh free flaps performed at 
      Addenbrooke's University Hospital from the available charts was carried out. This 
      chart review included patients' demographics, indications, flap size, recipient 
      vessels used, ischemia time, flap, and donor site outcomes. All flap perforator 
      vessels were located preoperatively using a handheld Doppler ultrasound probe. 
      RESULTS: From October 1999 to December 2008, 55 anterolateral thigh flaps were 
      performed in 55 patients to reconstruct a variety of soft-tissue defects (upper 
      and lower limbs, chest wall, skull base, head and neck). Flap size ranged 12 to 
      35 cm in length and 4 to 11 cm in width. During flap elevation, the main supply 
      to the flap was found to be a direct septocutaneous perforator in 41% (n = 23) of 
      the cases as opposed to a musculocutaneous perforator, which was found in 59% (n 
      = 32). The mean ischemia time was 82 minutes (range, 62-103). The overall flap 
      success rate was 100%. Two flaps were successfully salvaged after reexploration 
      for venous congestion. The donor site morbidity was minimal. The mean follow-up 
      time was 18 months (range, 2-48). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The anterolateral 
      thigh free flap was found to be a very reliable flap (100% success) across a wide 
      range of clinical indications. It facilitates microvascular anastomoses as 
      evidenced by the short ischemia time. It provided ample skin with volume that 
      could be tailored to the defect. These advantages have led to its widespread use 
      by different consultants and trainees in our department.
FAU - Di Candia, Michele
AU  - Di Candia M
FAU - Lie, Kwok
AU  - Lie K
FAU - Kumiponjera, Devor
AU  - Kumiponjera D
FAU - Simcock, Jeremy
AU  - Simcock J
FAU - Cormack, George C
AU  - Cormack GC
FAU - Malata, Charles M
AU  - Malata CM
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20120503
PL  - United States
TA  - Eplasty
JT  - Eplasty
JID - 101316107
PMC - PMC3343765
EDAT- 2012/05/15 06:00
MHDA- 2012/05/15 06:01
PMCR- 2012/05/03
CRDT- 2012/05/15 06:00
PHST- 2012/05/15 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2012/05/15 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2012/05/15 06:01 [medline]
PHST- 2012/05/03 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 21 [pii]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Eplasty. 2012;12:e21. Epub 2012 May 3.