Sensory assessment of meshed skin grafts over free gracilis muscle flaps without nerve coaptation for lower extremity reconstruction

Background Little is known about the sensate recovery of skin grafts over free non-neurotized muscle flaps. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of free gracilis muscle flaps and meshed skin grafts without nerve coaptation.

Methods Thirteen consecutive patients with a median age of 55 years (range, 21–70 years) who underwent lower extremity reconstruction between September 2014 and October 2016 were included. Complications, flap contour, skin perception, and sensate recovery were assessed.

Results All flaps survived completely. In one patient, wound dehiscence and infection occurred 1 month after surgery. After a median follow-up of 14 months (range, 10–51 months), a satisfactory contour and skin perception were achieved. The Semmes-Weinstein (SW) monofilament test (154.8±22 g) and static two-point discrimination (2-PD) (12.6±0.7 mm) showed intermediate recovery compared to the surrounding site (41% and 76%, respectively). There was an intermediate correlation between flap size and sensate recovery (2-PD: r=0.27, P=0.36; SW test: r=0.45, P=0.12). Vibration sensation recovered to 60%, whereas thermal sensation remained poor (19% at 5°C and 25% at 25°C).

Conclusions Finer sensation could be partially restored. However, thermal sensation remained poor.

Keywords

Muscle flap - Nerve regeneration - Patient outcome assessment - Reconstruction - Sensation

^*The two authors contributed equally to this work.

This article was presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Swiss Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, on September 1–2, 2017, in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The authors would like to thank Selina Ackermann (Department of Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland) for organizational work and revising our manuscript.

Publication History

Received: 19 April 2019

Accepted: 23 August 2019

Article published online:
07 March 2022

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