Autotransplantation of Flaps in the Treatment of Peri-Implant Infection After Osteosynthesis (Analysis of Clinical Observations)

Abstract

Unfortunately, suppuration of a postoperative wound remains the most frequent complication of surgical intervention. If suppuration is located superficially, within the subcutaneous fat, it can be successfully managed with minimal functional losses. The clinical course is significantly complicated if the focus of infection is located under the skin, in the thickness of the muscles, in the fracture zone. In the case of suppuration in the area of osteosynthesis, the complication may become critical.Such a complication is a serious condition that requires multi-stage complex and sometimes multidisciplinary treatment.The conditions for a successful outcome in this pathology are the minimum period from the moment of suppuration, active surgical tactics, stability of the implant, and good vascularization of the surrounding soft tissues.Active surgical tactics involves the opening and sanitation of purulent foci, leaks, recesses. Staged necrectomies are inevitable companions of surgical treatment and can cause the formation of defects in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles.The resulting soft tissue defect leads to exposure of the bone and plate. Removal of the metal fixator becomes inevitable.Only the closure of the defect with a complex of tissues based on free vascularized composite grafts can radically solve the problem.The article presents two clinical observations of deep wound infection after bone osteosynthesis, where autotransplantation of a vascularized flap was used. The use of this technique made it possible to achieve suppression of infection, wound healing by primary intention, to create conditions for consolidation of the fracture, restoration of function and preservation of the limb as a whole.

Keywords

• deep wound infection
• plate osteosyntesis