Anterolateral Thigh Chimeric Flap: An Alternative Reconstructive Option to Free Flaps for Large Soft Tissue Defects

The anterolateral thigh (ALT) skin flap provides abundant, thin, pliable skin coverage with adequate pedicle length and calibre, and tolerable donor site morbidity. However, coverage of relatively large defects using the ALT flap alone is limited. We present our experience of using the ALT flap coup...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical medicine 2023-11, Vol.12 (21), p.6723
Main Authors: Lee, Yoon Jae, Kim, Junnyeon, Lee, Chae Rim, Kim, Jun Hyeok, Oh, Deuk Young, Jun, Young Joon, Moon, Suk-Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clinical medicine
Defects
Flaps (Surgery)
General anesthesia
Liposuction
Methods
Patients
Physiological aspects
Plastic surgery
Skin
Skin & tissue grafts
Skin-grafting
Surgery, Plastic
Thigh
Veins & arteries
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Summary:The anterolateral thigh (ALT) skin flap provides abundant, thin, pliable skin coverage with adequate pedicle length and calibre, and tolerable donor site morbidity. However, coverage of relatively large defects using the ALT flap alone is limited. We present our experience of using the ALT flap coupled with the vastus lateralis (VL) flap supplied by the same pedicle for large defect reconstruction. Between 2016 and 2020, ten patients with extensive lower-extremity or trunk defects were treated using the ALT/VL chimeric flap. The ALT portion was used to cover the cutaneous and joint defect while the VL part was used to resurface remnant defects, and a skin graft was performed. All flaps were based on the common descending pedicle, and branches to separate the components were individually dissected. All defects were successfully reconstructed using the ALT/VL chimeric flap. No surgery-related acute complications were observed, and the patients had no clinical issues with ambulation or running activities during the long-term follow-up period. With the separate components supplied by a common vascular pedicle, the ALT/VL chimeric flap allows us to reconstruct extensive defects with joint involvement or posterior trunk lesions. Thus, the ALT/VL chimeric flap may be a suitable alternative for extensive tissue defect reconstruction.
ISSN:2077-0383
2077-0383
DOI:10.3390/jcm12216723