Biomedical subjects

F C Wei

Publications and source records attributed to F C Wei.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Compound functioning free muscle flap transplantation (lateral half of soleus, fibula, and skin flap).

The functioning free-muscle transfer is a microneurovascular technique that has proven effective for patients who have a major muscle or muscle group loss for which no other less complicated procedures are available. A new functioning muscle (lateral half of the soleus) transfer was used for forearm reconstruction. This functioning muscle can be transferred alone, or it can be used with overlying skin or nearby fibular bone or both. It was used in a selective complicated case in which not only were major functional muscles lost, but a bone deficiency and skin loss also were seen. The operation was done in one stage with the composite flap (muscle plus bone plus skin). The recovered transferred muscle provided adequate strength and excursion for a functional hand and forearm.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Technique of foot lengthening and shaping with free vascularized iliac osteocutaneous flap.

The iliac osteocutaneous flap has been used widely to replace bony defects of the mandible and the extremities. We report a further application of this flap in foot reconstruction. The iliac osteocutaneous flap proved to be of value to augment both soft tissue and bone in a transmetatarsally amputated foot. This resulted in satisfactory function and an appealing cosmetic result, allowing the patient to wear normal shoes. Flap design and secondary contouring procedures are described for the success of this reconstruction.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Emergency free-flap transfer for reconstruction of acute complex extremity wounds.

Nine patients with complex extremity injuries were treated with emergency free-flap transfers over a 3 1/2-year period. The transferred emergency free flaps were performed to cover exposed vital structures. All flaps survived without infection. Complete and careful assessment of the systemic condition of the patient and the nature of the injured extremity is mandatory. Emergency free-flap transfers may salvage the limb or finger and may improve the functional and aesthetic results with the shortest possible hospital stay.

Accidents↗

PubMed1991

Eyebrow revascularization.

A 41-year-old man suffered from an incompletely avulsed right eyebrow and forehead after a windshield injury in a traffic accident. Microsurgical techniques were used to revascularize the avulsed tissue of the right eyebrow and forehead with anastomosis of one branch of the frontal branch of the right superficial temporal artery. The revascularized eyebrow and forehead remained viable and provided a good cosmetic result. An aggressive microsurgical approach, either by direct arterial anastomosis or bypass with vein graft, should be encouraged in all incompletely avulsed tissue with inadequate blood supply in the face, hand, and foot.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Finger reconstruction with triple toe transfer from the same foot for a patient with a special job and previous foot trauma.

After the loss of four fingers at the metacarpal level, triple toe transfer from the same foot was performed in the dominant hand of an art worker who needed three ulnar digits to work with the intact thumb. The toes of the left foot could not be used because of a previous injury. Long-term follow-up at 3 years showed good results in terms of function. He regained dexterity for calligraphy, notably the brush calligraphy and painting that are important in his job. The donor site was treated very carefully to prevent complications. There was minimal donor site morbidity. He still can walk very well and runs fast. Gait analysis of the donor foot is presented. This was a unique situation, and satisfactory results were obtained through the cooperation of the patient as well as detailed analysis before surgery.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1991

Simultaneous bilateral forearm revascularization.

A successful simultaneous bilateral forearm revascularization was performed on a 17-year-old boy. Functional recovery of both forearms was evaluated 42 months after injury. The patient can use both hands for the activities of daily living. So far, he has been employed and has no significant psychological problems. Temporary intraluminal silicone shunts are extremely helpful for reducing ischemic damage to the injured limb. The sufficient skeletal shortening of the upper limb replantation is crucially important. The wounds must be managed by aggressive and repeated debridement. Accurate primary nerve repair is essential, and the early postoperative rehabilitation is also important to achieve a satisfactory functional return. The functional replanted or revascularized upper extremity is superior to an amputation or prosthesis, especially in the cases of bilateral upper extremity amputation or devascularization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Successful replantation of an amputated nasal tip by microvascular anastomosis.

Successful microsurgical replantation of a completely avulsed nasal tip is presented. The result is excellent. The technical challenge involved no sizable veins for drainage. This problem was solved by an artery-to-vein shunting. For facial avulsions, there is nothing superior to the original tissue, and replantation should always be attempted first.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Second toe wrap-around flap.

The microsurgical second toe wrap-around technique is an ideal treatment option for reconstruction of the distal half of the finger with circumferential loss of skin and nail associated with an uninjured proximal interphalangeal joint and an intact insertion of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon. Follow-up of 13 flaps in 10 patients from 1986 to 1989 demonstrates rapid and adequate functional recovery as well as satisfactory aesthetic appearance in all patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Free flap transfer in burn reconstruction.

Wound healing in burn patients with exposure of vital tissues has been greatly facilitated by the use of free flap transfers for reconstruction with good functional as well as aesthetic results. Preoperative angiography is not an indispensable way to localize recipient vessels. Knowledge of the changes that occur in vessels at the zone of injury is crucial in the selection and preparation for microsurgical anastomosis. One team approach is advocated because the plan for the procedure may be changed when no appropriate recipient vessel is located during the dissection. We present our study of ten cases followed up in the last six years. Nine cases were successful, and severe wound infection resulted in one flap failure. Proper recipient vessel selection and adequate wound debridement are important factors for successful free flap transfer in burn reconstruction.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Presenile (early ageing) changes in tissues of Kaschin-Beck disease and its pathogenetic significance.

The selenium level and activity of glutathione peroxidase in blood of children living in Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) endemic areas were lower than that in nonendemic areas. KBD children were deficient in selenium, their lipid components, structure and function of the red cell membrane and cartilage tissue were abnormal. That is, the phospholipid (PL) content in the tissues of the patient was less than that of the controls in endemic and non-endemic areas. Especially as the phosphatidylcholine (PC) content decreased significantly, but sphingomyelin (SM) increased, the molar ratio of SM/PC and cholesterol (Ch)/PL increased. Increase of acanthocyte content was seen under the electron microscope and the fragility of erythrocytes was also increased. It indicated that there were membrane defects and membrane damage in KBD. At the same time, the sulfation extent of mucopolysaccharides in cartilage of patients was lower, and the collagen content was higher than that of controls. The presenile changes in lipid composition, structure and function of biomembranes and cartilage metabolism of KBD are very significant in studies on the aetiological pathogenesis of KBD and other ageing diseases.

Aging↗

PubMed1990

Emergency free flaps to the type IIIC tibial fracture.

Type IIIC tibial fractures are complex injuries involving extensive bone and soft-tissue devascularization that result in a high percentage of complications and ultimate amputation. An emergency free flap transfer not only may salvage the limb but also may improve the aesthetic and functional results of reconstruction by placing the injured structures in a well-vascularized bed. Two cases of type IIIC tibial fracture were treated in this manner, and we present our experience with a 30-month follow-up of one patient and a 6-month follow-up of another patient.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Complex osteocutaneous injuries--timing of reconstruction. A report of 3 cases.

Twenty-seven patients with osseous trauma and soft-tissue loss were subjected to a treatment protocol aimed at obtaining definitive wound coverage within 10 days of injury. Reconstructive procedures included 19 successful microvascular tissue transfers as well as 8 pedicle flaps. The rate of serious complications was 8%, and patient morbidity was significantly reduced compared with a previous regimen of late reconstruction. An outline of the protocol is presented and technical points, which might enhance results, are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

"Smile" reconstruction in facial paralysis.

Reanimation of the face following facial nerve paralysis, especially the socially important smile, presents a complex surgical challenge requiring an individualized approach. Both neural and non-neural operative procedures have been used in an attempt to achieve the goal of a symmetrical synchronous smiling expression. A retrospective review of the results of both neural and nonneural methods was made to determine the relative efficacy of various methods. Of the neural techniques, early direct nerve repair primarily consistently achieved the best functional recovery. Double nerve grafts were found to be superior to a single nerve graft in nerve severance with a nerve gap at the facial nerve trunk bifurcation in delayed cases. In long-standing cases, ipsilateral or cross-face nerve grafting followed by functioning muscle transfer gives the most acceptable synchronous smile. Although cross-face nerve graft only, hypoglossal facial transfer, or non-neural techniques such as temporal muscle transfer achieved restoration of the smile, their inconsistent results and asynchronous action still limited the patient's confidence in social interactions.

Facial Expression↗

PubMed1989

Difficult reconstruction of an extensive injury in the lower extremity with a large cross-leg microvascular composite-tissue flap containing fibula.

In the absence of proper recipient vessels, a large microvascular composite-tissue flap was transferred successfully for reconstruction of a leg with an extensive crush injury. This was accomplished by using vessels of the normal leg. The microvascular flap containing skin, muscle, and 15 cm of fibula survived well after division of the pedicle. To achieve good bone healing, the leg was protected by a brace while gradually increasing weight bearing. The functional result is satisfactory.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Groin flap design and versatility.

The groin flap is a reliable and well-established reconstructive option for pedicled or free-tissue transfer. Concern regarding its variable vascular origin and caliber has limited its use. To overcome this, a simplified guideline based on the transverse diameter of the patient's index and long fingers at the distal interphalangeal level has been developed. Thus "rule of two finger widths" positions the origin of the vascular pedicle from the femoral vessels two finger widths below the inguinal ligament, the upper flap border two finger widths above the inguinal ligament, the lower flap border two finger widths below the vascular origin, and both parallel to the flap axis, which lies along a line from the vascular origin to the anterosuperior iliac spine. This new groin flap design provides the necessary guidelines for vascular identification, accommodates pediatric and adult stature, and ensures primary donor-site closure if flap dimensions are within the prescribed boundaries. In addition, a new sartorius-cutaneous groin flap is presented. This combines the cutaneous groin flap with the proximal sartorius muscle (up to 15 cm), which is supplied by the deep vessels of the superficial circumflex iliac system. The sartorius-cutaneous groin flap further emphasizes the concept of single-pedicle compound or combined flaps and additionally enhances the extensive reconstructive versatility of previously described groin flaps. Over 200 pedicled and free groin flaps have been performed according to the "rule of two finger widths" over the past 5 years. There have been no complications related to flap design, such as difficulty with flap elevation, marginal necrosis, or donor-site closure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Microsurgical restoration of distal digital function.

Advances in microsurgery have produced multiple options for microsurgical restoration of distal digital function. However, because of the complexity of most mutilating hand injuries, these possibilities can be readily overlooked. A surgical awareness of these options for "like" tissue transplantation is now necessary for complete mutilating hand injury care. These "minor" aesthetic and functional microsurgical procedures can be major factors in overall patient acceptance and utilization of the reconstructed hands.

Finger Injuries↗

PubMed1989

Microsurgical reconstruction of opposable digits in mutilating hand injuries.

Multilating hand injuries with multiple digital amputations require a cooperative patient, a highly skilled hand/microsurgical team, and a continuum of hand rehabilitation therapy for optimal functional salvage. A systematic approach for assessing a patient's functional deficit and reconstructive requirements contributes to a coordinated reconstruction and rehabilitation plan designed to optimize functional gains. Today's sophisticated microsurgical reconstruction coupled with comprehensive hand therapy generally represents the best option for patients with mutilating hand injuries. Throughout reconstruction and rehabilitation the ultimate goal of multilating hand injury care, that of restoring a functional extremity that is useful in a patient's daily life must be remembered.

Amputation, Traumatic↗

PubMed1989

Combined second and third toe transfer.

Historically, restoration of hand function following multiple digital amputation has been unsatisfactory. The evolution of digital reconstruction with toe transfer has enabled surgeons to reestablish prehension in these severely injured hands. A 4-year experience with 26 consecutive combined second and third toe transfers to replace missing adjacent fingers was reviewed in order to delineate the indications and technical considerations and to emphasize prevention of donor-site complications. Combined second and third toe transfer is reserved for adjacent finger amputations proximal to the digital web space with remaining fingers no longer than the small finger. Radial amputations are replaced with contralateral combined toe units, while ipsilateral toes are more ideal for ulnar amputations. Limited dorsal and plantar skin flaps extending only to the midpoint of the first and third digital web spaces allow for direct donor-site closure and uncomplicated healing. Maintenance of the plantar metatarsal arch by avoiding metatarsal shaft osteotomies or bone grafting-shortened metatarsals eliminates potential gait disturbances. When properly applied in selected patients, this single-stage microsurgical procedure can restore prehensile function, improve the appearance of the hand with multiple digital amputations, and preserve near-normal donor-foot function.

Adolescent↗