Four cases of abdominal expander implantation in adult chronic osteomyelitis of lower extremity with soft tissue defect and literature review

In this study, we intend to explore the clinical efficacy of abdominal expander implantation combined with flap technique in adult chronic osteomyelitis of lower limb with soft tissue defects, and to provide the basis for the promotion of the technique in clinical practice. Four patients diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis of lower extremity with soft tissue defect were enrolled in this prospective study. Evaluation indicators included state of flap survival, state of abdominal incision, surrounding of abdominal wound scar, satisfaction of the patient, state of flap survival half a year after surgery, whether the 3D prosthesis is successfully implanted and limb movement. Four patients had complete flap survival, two of whom had a small amount of skin graft survival disorder in the vascular pedicle area, which improved after 1 month of dressing change. The expander had an average expansion time of 31.5 days, an average water injection of 525 mL, and an average skin volume taken of 159 cm(2). No incision exudation, incision dehiscence, subcutaneous exudate and other complications occurred. The mean Vancouver Scar Scale score at 3 months after surgery was 3.5 (range from 3 to 6) points. Four patients showed good flap survival at six‐month follow‐up. 3D printed prosthesis were all successfully implanted. The treatment of adult chronic osteomyelitis of lower extremities with lower abdominal implantable expander combined with flap technique can effectively increase the skin harvesting area, reduce the suture tension of abdominal skin harvesting area and the scar hyperplasia of abdominal skin harvesting area.