Objective To investigate the cl inical effect of vacuum seal ing drainage (VSD) on late-stage large skin avulsion injury with infection. Methods From May 2007 to August 2008, 9 patients with large-area skin avulsion injury and infection were treated. There were 1 male and 8 females aged 9-52 years old (median 27 years old). All patients suffered from closed skin avulsion injury involving the lower back, buttock, and part of the thigh. The injury area varied from 30 cm × 25 cm to92 cm × 38 cm. The time between injury and hospital admission was 15-23 days. The skin avulsion injury was compl icated with pelvis fracture, urethral injury, anal injury, sacrum exposure, and l imb fractures. The interval between hospital admission and operation was 3-23 hours. Free spl it-thickness skin graft was performed after the focus debridement and three VSD treatments (40-60 kPa). Results After three VSD treatments, no patient had general pyemia and severe local tissue necrosis or infection, the tissue edema in the skin avulsion area was alleviated obviously, and all the wound cavities were closed. All the wounds in the graft site healed after 28-45 days of treatment (average 39 days), and all the donor sites healed. Nine patients were followed up for 4-14 months (average 10 months). The appearance of the reparative area was good, and there was no occurrence of joint dysfunction in the injured area due to scar contracture. Conclusion VSD is effective in treating late-stage large skin avulsion injury with infection.
OBJECTIVE In the determination of the viability of skin following incomplete avulsion, subjective criteria such as color, skin temperature, pressure reaction and the stab bleeding would often give a high rate of failure. In order to resolve this problem, a retrospective study was carried out. METHODS In 27 patients, there were 18 males and 9 females, the age ranged from 7 to 41 years old. In operation, the blood supply of the skin was determined by above subjective criteria carefully. RESULTS After operation, 5 cases had total survival, 7 cases had peripheral or small area necrosis and 15 cases resulted in large area of necrosis. CONCLUSION: The conclusion was that if the incompletely avulsed skin showed sign of being compressed and squeezed, or the incompletely avulsed skin had uncertain or unstable circulatory status, even though the circulatory status being good, active attitude should be given to debridement in complete removal of the avulsed skin in order to improve the successful rate. For the other 2 cases with degloving injuries of large area of the limbs, the avulsed skin was made into a subdermal vascular network skin flap and several axial incisions were made to save the blood circulation of flap. The result was satisfactory and the vital tissues were preserved and used to the greatest extent.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of subcutaneous tissue trimming on the survival skin area of avulsion skin flap. METHODS: Degloving injury was created in bilateral hind limbs of 7 pigs with avulsion injury machine, 4 cm x 10 cm avulsion skin flaps were elevated in degloving areas. Skin flaps in one side were replanted as control without any treatment. Subcutaneous tissue in the skin flaps of another side was partially excised and replanted by trimmed skin flaps. Survival skin flaps was calculated with computer at 7 days after operation. RESULTS: In the control group, the survival skin area was (40.41 +/- 9.23)%, while in the experimental group, the survival skin area was (60.90 +/- 15.26)%. There was significant difference between the two groups (P lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION: Trimming off subcutaneous tissue does improve the survival area of avulsion skin flap.
The defatted whole thickness skin flap from the large sized avulsed skin was sutured back to the original wound of the extremity in 366 cases. The patients were followed up for an average of 12 years and 3 months. The functions of the extremities were good, and the surface of the grafted area was smooth, with good luster and good looking. This type of repair provided a high survival rate, simple and less traumatic. The avulsed skin even had abrasion or mild contusion could still be used. The peculiarities of the large sized skin avulsion and the advantages and disadvantages of other reparative methods were discussed.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical application of subdermal vascular network skin flap pre-fabricated by ultrasonic liposuction in reconstruction of digital avulsion. METHODS: Forty-seven injured fingers of 23 cases were treated from June 1997 to February 2000. Conventional abdominal skin flap was elevated, according to the size of digital avulsion, and subcutaneous fat was removed with scissors. Ultrasonic liposuction technology was adopted, in order to minimize the injury of subdermal vascular vessels, to remove the fat particles close to the vascular network. Finally, the pre-fabricated skin flap was used to repair the digital avulsion. The vascular pedicle was severed in 5 to 7 days after operation. The range of skin flap was 4 cm x 3 cm to 8 cm x 7 cm, and the ratio of length and width was (2 to 3) to 1. RESULTS: All the skin flaps were survived. Twenty-one patients were available for postoperative follow-up for 6 to 24 months. The motion of interphalangeal joint achieved functional recovery, and the sensation of pain, temperature and taction recovered well. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic liposuction does not obviously injure the subdermal vascular network skin flap, it is a simple and safe method for treatment of digital avulsion.
Objective To review the treatment methods of the extremity skin avulsion, and to point out the problems at present as well as to predict the trend of development in this field. Methods Domestic and abroad l iterature concerning the treatment methods of the extremity skin avulsion in recent years was extensively and thoroughly analyzed. Results The timely and accurate evaluation of viabil ity and blood circulation of avulsed skin was the key to treat extremity skin avulsion. At present, there were many methods to treat extremity skin avulsion and the vacuum seal ing drainage (VSD) technology played an important role in the treatment of skin avulsion. Artificial skin had been used to treat skin avulsion. Conclusion The conventional method to treat skin avulsion is rigorous debridement, defatting of the avulsed flap, planting back avulsed skin flap. The combined use of the VSD technology helps skin avulsion treatment. It may be a trend that artificial skin will be used in treating extremity avulsion.
ObjectiveTo discuss nursing measures and experiences for children with extensive skin avulsion injury of lower limbs treated by vacuum sealing drainage (VSD). MethodsWe reviewed the perioperative nursing data of 48 child patients with extensive skin avulsion injury in lower limbs who underwent VSD treatment between December 2010 to October 2012. And the data were compared with those for 56 children with the same disease and treatment between January 2007 and November 2010. ResultsIn these 48 children, 19 received once, 23 received twice, and 6 received 3 times of vacuum sealing drainage. During the treatment, 5 drainage tubes were blocked and were solved with normal saline, and 3 drainage tubes had leakage and two of them were reconnected and the other one became normal after changing the dressing. For VSD, the time between being wounded and skin-grafting was 13.6 days, and the average hospitalization time was 24.3 days. Compared with the traditional method group, children in the VSD group had fewer drug changes during hospitalization, lower infection rate, and shorter hospitalization stay, and the differences were significant (P<0.05). ConclusionKeeping drainage tube airtight, normal and effective is as important as nutrition and mental nursing in the treatment of children's extensive skin avulsion injury in lower limbs, which can decrease infection rate, reduce average hospitalization time, and increase operative efficacy.