FLOW-THROUGH ANTERIOR THIGH FLAPS FOR ONE-STAGE RECONSTRUCTION OF SOFT-TISSUE DEFECTS AND REVASCULARIZATION OF ISCHEMIC EXTREMITIES

''Flow-through'' anterior thigh flaps are used to reconstruct defects accompanied by major vessel damage in the extremities. These flaps have long flow-through pedicle vessels (which are the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral system) that can be interposed into the vascular gaps in the extremities and are composed anatomically of the rectus femoris muscle. The defects of eight patients were repaired successfully with flow-through anterior thigh flaps, which were from 10 to 30 cm in length and 7 to 15 cm in width. The advantages of these flaps are (1) the damaged main vessels (< 20 cm in length) can be reconstructed simultaneously with large skin defects (up to 30 cm in length and 15 cm in width), (2) double arterial inflow by means of both ends of the pedicle artery ensures safe blood circulation of the flap, (3) the lateral circumflex femoral system, the pedicle of the anterior thigh flaps, can be used for chimeric composite flaps for the reconstruction of composite defects with major vessel loss in the extremities, (4) two concomitant pedicle veins interposed into the damaged recipient concomitant veins can be used as a drainage system in extremities with severe edema, and (5) multistage flap transfers are possible to repair recurring defects in the extremities with a single major vessel using additional transection and pedicle interposition.