Versatility of the Free Anterolateral Thigh Flap for Reconstruction of Soft Tissue Defects
Abstract:
Introduction: Reconstruction of soft tissue defect always poses
a reconstructive challenge. The objective of this study was to
evaluate the outcome of anterolateral thigh free flap as a
versatile flap for soft tissue reconstruction.
Materials & Methods: In this prospective study carried out
in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Dhaka Medical
College and Hospital (DMC&H), Dhaka between July 2016
to June 2017, total thirty patients with soft tissue defect in
different regions of the body underwent reconstruction of
defects with anterolateral thigh free flap. Twenty (60%)
patients had defect in lower extremity, seven (23%) in head
and neck, two in the trunk, one in upper extremity. The flaps
were raised as a standard subfascial flap in 56.67% cases, as
suprafascial thin flap in 23% cases and in 20% cases it was
raised along with part of vastus lateralis muscle.