Objective To explore the clinical effect of the lower rotating point super sural neurocutaneous vascular flap on the repair of the softtissue defects in the ankle and foot. Methods From May 2001 to February 2006, 24 patients with the soft tissue defects in the ankle and foot were treated with the lower rotating point super sural neurocutaneous vascular flaps. Among the patients, 15 had an injury in a traffic accident, 6 were wringedand rolled by a machine, 1 was frostbited in both feet, 2 were burned, 25 had an exposure of the bone and joint. The disease course varied from 3 days to 22 months; 19 patients began their treatment 3-7 days after the injury and 5 patients were treated by an elective operation. The soft tissue defects ranged in area from 22 cm × 12 cm to 28 cm × 12 cm. The flaps ranged in size from 24 cm × 14cm to 30 cm × 14 cm, with a range up to the lower region of the popliteal fossa. The rotating point of the flap could be taken in the region 1-5 cm above thelateral malleolar. The donor site was covered by an intermediate thickness skingraft. Results All the 25 flaps in 24 patients survived with asatisfactory appearance and a good function. The distal skin necrosis occurred in 1 flap, but healing occurred after debridement and intermediate thickness skin grafting. The follow-up for 3 months to 5 years revealed that the patients had a normal gait, the flaps had a good sense and a resistance to wearing, and no ulcer occurred. The two point discrimination of the flap was 5-10 mm. Conclusion The lower rotating point super sural neurocutaneous vascular flap has a good skin quality, a high survival rate, and a large donor skin area. The grafting is easy, without any sacrifice of the major blood vessel; therefore, it is a good donor flap in repairing a large soft tissue defect in the ankle and foot.
Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of free perforator flaps combined with skin graft for reconstruction of ankle and foot soft tissue defects. Methods Between June 2014 and October 2015, 20 cases of ankle and foot soft tissue defects were treated. There were 16 males and 4 females, aged from 19 to 61 years (mean, 43.3 years). Injury was caused by traffic accident in 7 cases, by crashing in 9 cases, and machine twist in 4 cases. The locations were the ankle in 6 cases, the heel in 3 cases, the dorsum pedis in 4 cases, and the plantar forefoot in 7 cases of avulsion injury after toes amputation. The size of wound ranged from 15 cm×10 cm to 27 cm×18 cm. The time from injury to treatment was from 11 to 52 days (mean, 27 days). The anterolateral thigh perforator flap was used in 11 cases, thoracodorsal antery perforator flap in 3 cases, medial sural artery perforator flap in 4 cases, deep inferior epigastric perforator flap in 1 case, and anteromedial thigh perforator flap in 1 case, including 5 chimeric perforator flaps, 5 polyfoliate perforator flaps, 3 flow-through perforator flaps, and 3 conjoined perforator flaps. The size of the perforator flap ranged from 10.0 cm×6.5 cm to 36.0 cm×8.0 cm, the size of skin graft from 5 cm×3 cm to 18 cm×12 cm. Results Venous crisis occurred in 2 flaps which survived after symptomatic treatment; 18 flaps survived successfully and skin grafting healed well. The follow-up time ranged 4-18 months (mean, 8.3 months). The flaps had good appearance, texture and color, without infection. The patients could walk normally and do daily activities. Only linear scars were observed at the donor sites. Conclusion Free perforator flap can be used to reconstruct defects in the ankle and foot, especially in the weight-bearing area of the plantar forefoot. A combination of free perforator flap and skin graft is ideal in reconstruction of great soft tissue defects in the ankle and foot.