scholarly journals A Single-Center Surgical Experience With the Reverse Sural Artery Flap as a Reliable Solution for Lower Leg Soft Tissue Defects, With Minimum Two-Year Follow-Up

Cureus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efstratios D Athanaselis ◽  
Apostolos Fyllos ◽  
Aristeidis H Zibis ◽  
Theofilos Karachalios ◽  
Michael Hantes ◽  
...  
2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 512-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. XIE ◽  
J. H. GU ◽  
Y. P. GONG ◽  
J. B. TANG

We report our experience of using the medial sural artery perforator flap in the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the hand in seven cases with 1 to 2 year follow-up. The flap is harvested from the posteromedial aspect of the leg, just below the knee and superficial to the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. It is based on the perforator arteries and veins supplied by the medial sural artery. The flaps ranged in size from 14 × 10 cm to 8 × 6 cm. The donor area was closed directly or by a skin graft. All but one flap survived. The cosmetic results were satisfactory and without apparent bulkiness. Similarity of colour and thickness of the donor and recipient sites are advantages. We feel that this new flap is a satisfactory option for use in the hand, particularly for extended soft tissue defects on the dorsal hand.


1994 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sin-Daw Lin ◽  
Chung-Sheng Lai ◽  
Chih-Kang Chou ◽  
Chin-Wei Tsai ◽  
Chin-Cheng Tsai

Author(s):  
Bhushan R. Patil ◽  
Chandrashekhar Wahegaonkar ◽  
Nikhil Agarkhedkar ◽  
Bharat Bhushan Dogra

Background: Coverage of soft tissue defects around distal third of the leg, particularly ankle and foot is a common situation faced by a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Options available for such defects are limited due to scarcity of additional soft tissue that can be used without exposing tendons or bone. Associated conditions such as major vascular compromise, comorbidities and lack of facilities or expertise make free tissue transfer less preferred. Distally based sural artery flap has been a frequently used flap in such conditions, easy to perform and has reproducible results. We extended the reach of the flap and reproduced the results.Methods: We performed extended reverse sural artery pedicled flaps in 19 patients who presented to us between 2015 to 2017 with soft tissue defects around ankle and foot. Patients included 15 post RTA, 2 diabetic foot, 1 post resection defect and 1 post burn contracture release defect. Size of the defect ranged between 8x6cm to 14x10cm. Average follow up period was ranging from 8 months to 2.5 years.Results: All the flaps healed well without any obvious complications except one patient in whom marginal necrosis (2 cm margin of distal most flap) was observed and was secondarily treated with skin grafting.Conclusions: We observed that extended reverse sural pedicle flap is a rapid, reliable option for coverage of soft tissue defects around ankle and heel, sparing major vessel compromise and lengthy surgical procedure during free tissue transfer. This flap should be the first option for the patients with trauma and defects over weight bearing foot in whom peroneal axis vessels are preserved.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1082
Author(s):  
Madhumita Gupta ◽  
Prabir Kumar Jash

Background: Complex soft tissue defects of thumb and first web space are a reconstructive challenge. Low voltage electric burns of the hand commonly result in localised and deep soft tissue destruction. The first dorsal metacarpal artery flap (FDMA) is an attractive local flap option to reconstruct these. This study illustrates our experience with the same.Methods: Between March 2014 and February 2017, 16 patients with complex soft tissue defects of thumb and first web space resulting from low voltage electric burns underwent reconstruction with the FDMA flap and subsequent structured hand therapy. In the follow up visits objective assessment of hand function included tests of mobility using Kapandji Score, sensory evaluation with static 2 point discrimination and cortical reorientation. The Subjective Satisfaction Score was used to ascertain the patient’s overall perception of aesthetic and functional outcome.Results: Majority (43.75%) of the patients had defects involving the thumb IP joint. No case of complete flap failure was noted. In a mean follow-up of 11.5 months the reconstructed thumb showed return of good protective sensation as well as mobility. Though cortical reorientation was complete in only 18.75 %, it did not substantially impede hand functioning. All patients were satisfied with the functional and aesthetic result.Conclusions: In cases of low voltage electric burn injuries the FDMA flap is a reliable reconstructive option for small to moderate sized complex defects of thumb and first web space. It has minimal donor site morbidity and can be accomplished in a relatively simple single stage procedure.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (03) ◽  
pp. 281-287
Author(s):  
Thalaivirithan Margabandu Balakrishnan ◽  
Jayagosh Ramkumar ◽  
Janardhanan Jaganmohan

ABSTRACT Introduction: Lower third leg soft tissue defects with anatomical and pathological constraints are posing formidable challenges to reconstructive surgeon. Aim: This retrospective study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of ad hoc posterior tibial vessels perforator-propeller flaps for the reconstruction of small and medium sized soft tissue defects in the lower third leg. Patients and Methods: 22 patients (16 were males and 6 were females) were involved in this study between period of January 2012 and December 2016. We followed the protocol of initial non delineating exploratory incision made to find out single best perforator in all patients. All the defects in leg reconstructed with adhoc posterior tibial vessel propeller flaps. Results: All 22 flaps survived well. All in an average of 13 months follow up period, had pain free walking, with minimal scarring and acceptable aesthesis at the reconstruction sites with no need for any secondary procedure. Conclusion: With inability of preoperatively dopplering the perforators in the lower third leg region, the exploratory posterior nondelineating incision was used in all cases to secure the single best perforator for the propeller flaps. Thus adhoc posterior tibial vessel propeller flaps are dependable, easily adoptable for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the lower third leg region.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 1074-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lifeng Shen ◽  
Yiyang Liu ◽  
Chun Zhang ◽  
Qiaofeng Guo ◽  
Wenhua Huang ◽  
...  

Objective To describe the characteristics of the perforator vessel in the peroneal artery of the lower leg and to explore the use of perforator pedicle propeller flaps to repair soft tissue defects in the lower leg, heel and foot. Methods This retrospective study enrolled patients with soft tissue defects of the distal lower leg, heel and foot who underwent surgery using peroneal perforator-based propeller flaps. The peroneal artery perforators were identified preoperatively by colour duplex Doppler ultrasound. The flap was designed based on the preoperatively-identified perforator location, with the posterior border of the fibula employed as an axis, and the perforator vessel as the pivot point of rotation. Patients were followed-up to determine the outcomes. Results The study analysed 36 patients (mean age, 39.7 years). The majority of the soft tissue defects were on the heel (20; 55.6%). The donor-site of the flap was closed in 11 patients by direct suturing and skin grafting was undertaken in 25 patients. Postoperative complications included venous congestion (nine patients), which was managed with delayed wound coverage and bleeding therapy. All wounds were eventually cured and the flaps were cosmetically acceptable. Conclusions The peroneal perforator pedicle propeller flap is an appropriate choice to repair soft tissue defects of the distal limbs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (02) ◽  
pp. 216-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Nanda ◽  
Shamendra Anand Sahu ◽  
Durga Karki ◽  
Sanjay Kumar ◽  
Amrita Mandal

ABSTRACT Background: Despite advances in surgical skills, adipofascial flaps are still less preferred option for coverage of leg defect. We evaluate the use of perforator-based adipofascial flap in small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defects in the lower limb. Patients and Methods: After localisation of perforators along the major axial vessels in the lower limb using handheld Doppler, adipofascial flap based on the nearest best perforator of anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and peroneal artery was raised to cover soft-tissue defect in 21 patients. The flap was transposed over the defect and covered by split-skin graft. Donor site was primarily closed. Flap complications, functional and aesthetic outcomes are noted in follow-up. Results: There was partial loss of flap in five patients. After debridement and dressings, split-skin grafting was done for four patients and one patient was managed with local flap. Scar over the flap was stable with no reports of recurrent ulceration or breakdown of wound in 6-month follow-up. Four of five patients reported adequate healing of the fractured bone. Average visual analogue score was 8.24/10 for appearance of donor site as evaluated by the patient. Conclusions: Perforator-based adipofascial flap is a good alternative for coverage of small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defect of the leg, particularly over the malleolus and lower part of the leg. Use of adipofascial tissue and primary closure of the donor site causes minimal donor-site morbidity. Adipofascial perforator flap provides aesthetically superior recipient-site scar with satisfactory functional outcome.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Runguang Li ◽  
Guozheng Zhu ◽  
Chaojie Chen ◽  
Yirong Chen ◽  
Gaohong Ren

Objective. To evaluate the surgical efficacy of bone transport (Ilizarov technique) plus “shortening-lengthening,” “flap surgery,” and “open bone transport” as individualized treatments for traumatic composite tibial bone and soft tissue defects. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed sixty-eight cases (mean age: 35.69 years, (range, 16–65)) treated from July 2014 to June 2017, including 29 middle, 18 distal, and 21 proximal tibial bone defects (4–18 cm, mean: 7.97 cm) with soft tissue defects (2.5 cm × 4.0 cm to 30.0 cm × 35.0 cm after debridement). We adopted the bone transport external fixator to fix the fracture after debriding the defect parts. In the meantime, we adopted the “shortening-lengthening technique,” “flap surgery,” and “open bone transport” as individualized treatment based on the location, range, and severity of the composite tibial bone and soft tissue defects. Postoperative follow-up was carried out. Surgical efficacy was assessed based on (1) wound healing; (2) bone defect healing rate; (3) external fixation time and index; (4) incidence/recurrence of deep infection; (5) postoperative complications; and (6) Association for the Study and Application of the Methods of Ilizarov (ASAMI) score. Results. The mean duration from injury to reconstruction was 22 days (4–80 d), and the mean postoperative follow-up period was 30.8 months (18–54 m). After the repair and reconstruction, 2 open bone transport patients required infected bone removal first before continuing the bone transport treatment. No deep infection (osteomyelitis) occurred or recurred in the remaining patients, and no secondary debridement was required. Some patients had complications after surgery. All the postoperative complications, including flap venous crisis, nail channel reaction, bone nonunion, mechanical axis deviation, and refracture, were improved or alleviated. External fixation time was 12.5 ± 3.41 months, and the index was 1.63 ± 0.44. According to the ASAMI score, 76.47% of the outcomes were good/excellent. Conclusion. The Ilizarov technique yields satisfactory efficacy for composite tibial bone and soft tissue defects when combined with “shortening-lengthening technique,” “flap surgery,” and “open bone transport” with appropriate individualized treatment strategies.


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