To explore the application value of draw-bar skin stretcher used for repairing the wound area of the anterolateral thigh flap.

Retrospective analysis was performed on 30 patients admitted to Shanghai Ninth People′s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2020 to January 2021, all of whom received anterolateral thigh flap repair. The donor site wounds could not be directly closed and sutured, and the wound healing and related complications were observed after using draw-bar skin stretcher.

All 30 patients were followed up for 5-12 months, with an average of (8.5±3.5) months. Among them, 24 patients recovered smoothly on the thigh donor site without significant local scar hyperplasia, and their lower limb activities returned to normal. Local fat liquefaction occurred in 1 patient, tension blister and a small amount of skin edge necrosis occurred in 5 patients. After active dressing change, the wound healed.

The draw-bar skin stretcher can be used to treat the wound that is difficult to be directly closed and sutured at the donor site of anterolateral thigh flap, avoid skin grafting or local tissue flap transfer during operation, and reduce secondary injury. The limb activity of the donor site is not affected after operation, but the indications should be strictly controlled.