A One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Pressure Ulcers Whole-Buttock Fasciocutaneous Advancement Flap

BackgroundButtock pressure injuries can be difficult to treat. There are many choices of flaps to reconstruct these wounds, but few are large, technically simple, and easily recycled.Aim and ObjectiveWe are presenting our experience on surgical reconstruction of buttock pressure injuries using large whole-buttock fasciocutaneous flaps that are easily designed for ulcers regardless of location and size and are easily recycled for treatment of recurrences.Material and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of all patients who received reconstruction with fasciocutaneous rotational flaps for buttock region pressure injuries from January 2013 to December 2018. The key steps of this one-size-fits-all flap include elevation of a large, oversized flap to achieve tension-free closure, avoiding fascial incisions over bony prominences, placing the V-Y type closure wound in the posteromedial thigh, and the use of closed incisional negative wound therapy postoperatively.ResultsFifty patients underwent 54 flaps reconstruction for coverage of stage 4 gluteal pressure injuries between January 2013 and December 2018. Seventy-four percent healed without the need for further operation. The average size of the defect was 90 cm(2) (maximum = 300 cm(2)). The average follow-up period was 31 months. Four of the 54 flaps were recycled flaps, 3 were performed for the coverage of recurrent ulcers and 1 flap was performed for treatment of a postoperative wound dehiscence.ConclusionsWe recommend this simple, one-size-fits-all approach, whole-buttock fasciocutaneous flap when surgically treating gluteal pressure injuries for selected patients.

Automated summary

This study presented the experience of using large whole-buttock fasciocutaneous flaps for surgical reconstruction of buttock pressure injuries. The results showed that this approach is effective for selected patients.