Orthoplastic approach in lower leg and foot reconstruction / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

The reconstruction of lower leg and foot is very challenging due to their anatomical characteristics. In the last half century, we assisted to a dramatical change in thinking and approaching the lower leg and foot complex tissue defects. This became possible due to the new knowledge in vascular anatomy and advances in microsurgical techniques and instrumentation. The main way to well treat this kind of lesions is to ensure a multidisciplinary approach by collaboration between the specialists involved in approaching them. That’s why, in the later part of the last millennium, a new specialty appeared: Orthoplastic Surgery. Orthoplastic extremity reconstructive surgery may be addressed to the treatment of traumatic, oncologic, and septic conditions. This paper will discuss the timing of tissue transfer and the armamentarium of tissue reconstructive techniques for surgery of the lower leg and foot, from traditional flaps to the modern perforator flaps.