Background: Preservation of well vascularized extremity is one of the ultimate goals in limb reconstructions. With a paradigm shift towards limb salvage there is need to revisit flaps that could be used to ensure adequate blood flow as well reconstruction of the defects. In this series we share our experiences and outcomes of flow through flaps done in the background of limited resources.
Objective: To audit patients managed by flow through flaps between January 2019 and December 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Design: A prospective study Study Setting: Kenyatta N Hospital and other private institutions in Nairobi Study Subjects/Participants: Sixteen patients with both upper and lower limb requiring reconstruction.
Results: A total of 16 patients with both upper and lower limb conditions were reconstructed with flow through flaps. The mean age for the patients was 38.5 years with an age range of 24 to 64 years. Twelve patients had post traumatic defects while two patients had defects secondary to skin malignancy extirpation and the rest lymphedema. Most commonly used flap was anterior lateral thigh flap (10 patients). All defects were successfully reconstructed with flow through flaps and no case of flap or extremity loss was encountered.
Conclusion: Flow through flaps are reliable flaps in the reconstruction of extremities ensuring adequate blood flow as well as soft tissue coverage. The choice of the flap should be influenced by the extent of the defect as well as the anticipated length of the vascular defect.