Free functional muscle transfer failure and thrombophilic gene mutations as a potential risk factor: A case report
Marios D. Vekris, M.D. 1 *, Maria Ovrenovits, M.D. 2, Lefkothea Dova, M.D. 2, Alexandros E. Beris, M.D. 1, Panayiotis N. Soucacos, M.D. 3, Nikolaos Kolaitis, M.D. 2, George Vartholomatos, Ph.D. 2
The evolution of microsurgery popularized the free functioning muscle transfers as secondary procedures to reanimate paralyzed extremities after severance of the brachial plexus, especially when the surgeon deals with late cases. Studies considering transplantation, describe thrombophilic factors as a cause of severe complications after transplantation, such as acute or early rejection episodes, delayed graft function, or chronic graft dysfunction. It is the first time that thrombophilia associated with free muscle-graft rejection is reported. A young man who had two free functional muscle transfers for brachial plexus reconstruction in the same forearm within an interval of 6 months. The free functional muscle transfer was failed in both cases because of vein thrombosis and subsequent arterial clot. The possibility of thrombophilia was investigated and during the genetic investigation it was discovered that he was heterozygous for the mutations of factor V, G1691A-Leiden, A4070G and homozygous for the MTHFR C677T mutation. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2007.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1Department of Orthopaedics, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece 2Haematology Laboratory, Unit of Molecular Biology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece 3Department of Orthopaedics, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece email: Marios D. Vekris (vekrismd@otenet.gr)
*Correspondence to Marios D. Vekris, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece
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