RECONSTRUCTION OF DISTAL LEG AND FOOT USING DISTALLY BASED ADIPOFASCIAL TURN-OVER FLAP

ABSTRACT

Reconstruction of soft tissue dejects on the lower leg and foot remains a difficult challenge for surgeons. If the deject was large and complicated by bone defects, an excellent result could be obtained with free tissue transfer. In case of no bony problem, no major infection and relatively small defect, a local flap is more Convenient and economic than free tissue transfer because of its simple, one-stage and reliable operation. The vascularization of the subcutaneous tissue reveals the predominance of the vascular network in this layer with regard to the dermal or fascial plane. The dermal vascular network at the donor site is sufficient to let the skin survive without its underlying subcutaneous vascular support. Distally based adipofascial flaps, nourished by the lower perforator originating from the major vessel as link pattern were. used successfully for reconstruction of the bone and/or tendon exposure of the lower leg and foot in 10 patients. Between February 1992 and December 1995, ten cases underwent this procedure to reconstruct soft tissue defect on the lower leg and foot. The average age of the patients was 50.6 years (range 5 - 73years). Follow-up was from 10 months to 38 months (mean 21 months). The average time of the operation was about 2 hours 18 minutes. The length to width ratio of adipofascial flap was 2.4 - 5.0 1 (mean 3.4 1). The advantages of this method are easy dissection, short operation, preservation of the major vascular pericles of the lower limb, skin preservation at the donor site, thus preserve the shape of the limb and minimize donor site scar, and versatility (it is supple and can adapt to every surface, and it can be grafted on the deep or the superficial side). In conclusion, this technique is an useful and alternative method for reconstruction of soft tissue defects on the lower leg and foot in selected cases.