The Sartorius Muscle Transposition: A Brilliant Solution for Infected Groin Wounds Including Vascular Conduits

Abstract

Background: Managing exposed groin vascular grafts after vascular interventions can be challenging. Rescuing these conduits saves a  patient's extremity and sometimes their life.
Objective: This study aimed to emphasize the efficacy and safety of the sartorius muscle flap for the salvage of infected groin wounds.
Patients and methods: This prospective study included 5 patients with infected or threatened groin wounds after femoral artery open  intervention, who underwent sartorius muscle flap surgery between January 2020 and December 2022 at Mataria Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
Results: This study presents the outcomes of utilizing sartorius muscle flaps for managing infected or at-risk femoral wounds. The initial  surgeries involved femoral thrombectomy in one trauma case, femoral artery repair for one patient with a femoral pseudoaneurysm  post-PCI, and femoropopliteal bypass with a saphenous graft in three patients. Following the sartorius muscle flap procedures, all  patients achieved complete wound healing. Primary wound closure was successfully attained in all five cases, with an average healing  duration of one month. There was no failure in the vascular reconstructions, observed over a median follow-up period of six months.   Conclusion: The use of sartorius muscle flaps by vascular surgeons can aid in the healing of infected groin wounds while preserving graft  patency and ensuring limb salvage.