[Free functional gracilis muscle transplantation for reconstruction of active elbow flexion in posttraumatic brachial plexus lesions].

Objective: Reconstruction of powerful active elbow flexion. Reconstruction of missing muscle unit by neurovascular pedicled functional muscle transplantation.

Indications: Treatment of last choice for --secondary reconstruction of active elbow flexion in case of complete lesion of the brachial plexus or musculocutaneous nerve (M0 muscle function = replacement indication), partial but incomplete lesion of the brachial plexus or musculocutaneous nerve (M1-(3) muscle function = augmentation indication); --replacement of the elbow flexor muscles in case of primary muscle loss (tumor, trauma).

[Pectoralis major muscle transfer for reconstruction of elbow flexion in posttraumatic brachial plexus lesions].

Objective: Active elbow flexion is necessary for bimanual tasks. Reconstruction of powerful active elbow flexion. Reconstruction of missing muscle unit by neurovascular pedicled functional muscle transposition.

Long-term results after vascularised joint transfer for finger joint reconstruction.

Introduction: Vascularised complete joint transfer from the finger or the second toe offers the unique possibility of reconstructing a joint defect on the thumb or fingers using autologous tissue, which fully preserves its growth potential. Indications for vascularised joint transfer on the finger in children are set because of lack of therapy options offering normal growth potential. In adults vascularised joint transfer is indicated in case of contraindication for prosthetic joint replacement or arthrodesis.

Lower leg replantation--decision-making, treatment, and long-term results.

Object: The aim of this article is to review the results of replantation at the lower leg after total and subtotal amputation injury. Although subtotal and total lower leg amputations have been successfully replanted in the past, nowadays there is a common opinion that these operations do not justify their efforts, and therefore most of those patients are amputated.

Methods: To clarify this hypothesis we carried out an extensive literature research.

Use of dermal regeneration template in contracture release procedures: a multicenter evaluation.

Integra dermal regeneration template (Integra Life Sciences, Plainsboro, N.J.) is an effective treatment for full-thickness burns.

Angiogenic effects of injected VEGF165 and sVEGFR-1 (sFLT-1) in a rat flap model.

Background: Injections of single-dose vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)(165) have been advocated as a therapeutic tool for angiogenesis in ischemic flaps. We challenged this thesis by employing both VEGF(165) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) (for competitive inhibition of VEGF signal transduction) in different experimental settings of an ischemic rat flap model.

Material And Methods: 80 isogenic rats were divided in two groups of 40 animals (groups 1A-1D and 2A-2D).

Platelet-derived growth factor-AA-mediated functional angiogenesis in the rat epigastric island flap after genetic modification of fibroblasts is ischemia dependent.

Background: The aim of this study was to induce therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemically challenged flap tissue by means of gene transfer.

Methods: Isogenic rat fibroblasts were retrovirally transfected to produce platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA. Stable gene expression was monitored by PDGF-AA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Severe abdominal wall necrosis after ultrasound-assisted liposuction.

The complicated case of a 44-year-old white female following ultrasound-assisted liposuction of the entire abdomen is presented. In this case the postoperative course was complicated by hematoma, treated conservatively. During following weeks extensive cutaneous necrosis over the abdomen developed.

Sensory reconstruction of the fingertip using the bilaterally innervated sensory cross-finger flap.

The authors present a series of 15 patients with large soft-tissue defects of the fingertips as a prospective, nonrandomized study. In all cases, reconstruction was achieved using a bilaterally innervated sensory cross-finger flap. This sensory fasciocutaneous flap relies on the dorsal branch of the proper digital nerves, which branch off at the level of the head of the proximal phalanx; sensory supply to the dorsal skin of the middle phalanx is thus ensured.