Three cases of the defects of theskin and soft tissuess of the heel orsole complicated with defect of thecalcaneus bone from trauma weretreated. Primary replantation andreconstruction surgery was applied.The author believed that the recon-struction of the defect of the heelshould include the repair of the heelstructures and the sensation of the sole.
Objective To study the method and effect of free rectusabdominis muscle flaps with intermediate split thickness skin graft in repairing defects on legs and ankles.Methods From May 1998 to December 2002, 11 cases of defects on legs(2 cases) and on ankles( 9 cases) were repaired by use of unilateral free rectus abdominis flap with skin graft. The soft tissue defects were accompanied by osteomyelitis or the exposure of bone or tendon.The disease course was 1 month to 10 years. The defect size ranged 3 cm×4 cm to 8 cm×14 cm. The area ofrectus abdominis muscle flaps was 4 cm×6 cm to 8 cm×15 cm. Results All patients were followed up 6 months to 4 years after operation. All rectusabdominis flaps survived with good appearances and functions.The primary healing was achieved in 8 cases, intermediate split thickness skin graft necrosed in 3 cases and the wound healed after skin re-graft.Conclusion Free rectus abdominis flap is a proper option for repair of the soft tissue defects or irregular woundson legs and ankles. It has the advantages of abundant blood supply, b anti-infection ability, good compliance and satisfied appearance.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the method of improving the vitality of skin graft on donor site of the great toe-nail skin flap. METHODS: From June 1982 to April 1998, 252 cases of the great toe-nail flaps with piece of phalangeal bone and 18 cases of the simple great toe-nail flap were repaired with thin skin graft and packed under proper pressure. The stitches were removed two weeks later in common situation. It should be postponed on split thickness or partial survival skin flap avoiding early mobilization. RESULTS: Sixty-six cases of skin graft were necrotic after operation. Among them, 38 cases needed second skin grafting and 28 cases were healed after changing dressing. The survival rate of skin grafting was obviously higher on phalangeal marrow surface than on periosteum of the naked phalange. Contracture of the skin graft after operation made the retained skin flap expanding from medial side to lateral side and covered the whole plantar surface of the great toe. CONCLUSION: The survival rate of the skin graft on donor foot is improved after adopting the improved measures on taking the flap from great toe and paying attention to skin graft planting and packing. Free flap grafting is advocated for repairing of the wound on donor area of the great toe nail flap.
Objective To investigate the clinical results of allograft and sural neurovascular flap in repairing calcaneus and skin defects.Methods From February 1996 to December 2002, allograft and sural neurovascular flap were used to repair calcaneusand skin defects in 6 cases. The causes included road accident in 3 cases, strangulation in 2 cases and crashing object in 1 case. The defect locations were at theback of the calcaneus( 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3 of calcaneus in 3 cases, 2 cases and 1case respectively). The flap area ranged from 6 cm×7 cm to 12 cm×17 cm. Results The flaps survived completely in 4 cases; the distal flaps necrosed partly in 2 cases and the wound healed by dressing. The postoperative X-ray films showed that the repaired bone and joint had normal position and the arcus plantaris recovered. After a follow upof 6 months to 3 years all the patients were achieved bone union in allograft and had no complications of absorption, infection and repulsion. The weightbearing and walking functions were restored and the injured foot obtained a satisfactory contour. After 36 months of operation, the sensory recovery of foot occurred. Conclusion The used-allograft iseasy to be obtained and arcus plantaris is easy to recover. The reversesural neurovascular- flap in repairing calcaneus and skin defects has the following advantages: the maintenance of blood supply for injured foot, the less dangerous operation, the simple procedure, the recovery of walking function, and the good appearance and sensation.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of the free medial sural artery perforator flap for repairing anterior dorsal foot wound. MethodsBetween January 2010 and April 2015, 16 patients with skin and soft tissue defects of the anterior foot dorsal side were treated. There were 12 males and 4 females with the average age of 35 years (mean, 16-58 years). The disease causes included burn in 5 cases, traffic accident injury in 8 cases, and crush injury in 3 cases. The time from injury to admission was 2-30 hours (mean, 6.5 hours). The wound area ranged from 4 cm×3 cm to 10 cm×7 cm; combined injury included defects of lateral collateral ligament and joint capsule in 3 cases, and bone exposure in 12 cases, and all had exposure of tendon. Wounds were repaired with the medial sural artery perforator flap in 13 cases, and with medial sural artery perforator composite tissue flap carrying of medial head of gastrocnemius muscle flap in 3 cases. The size of flaps ranged from 5 cm×4 cm to 11 cm×8 cm. The donor site was sutured directly or was repaired with skin grafting. ResultsAll flaps survived well and wounds healed with stage I; skin grafts at donor site survived and the incision healed with stage I. All patients were followed up 6-36 months (mean, 11 months). The appearance of skin flap was satisfactory, without overstaffed; the joint of reconstructed ligament was stable, without secondary deformity. There was no obvious depression at the donor site, and no effect on the function. ConclusionThe medial sural artery perforator flap has the advantages of relatively constant perforator anatomy, reliable blood supply, and carries the gastrocnemius muscle flap for repair of compound tissue defect. It is one of better ways to repair the anterior dorsal foot wound.
From 1984 to 1994, 236 different types of traumatic defects of foot were repaired by microsurgical tissue grafting. They included simple cutaneous flap in 187 and composite flap in 49. Among the 236 different tissue flaps, vascularized flap was used in 97 and pedicled flap in 139. The 4 fore-foot and 6 heel defects were repaired by composite skeleted cutaneous grafts with scapula and vascularized febula respectively. After the follow-up from 1 to 10 years, all the grafted tissues were survived and healed well. The functions were satisfactory, and 186 patients had resumed their original works. The key to good function following repair was to maintaion the integrity of foot structures and the sensation of the sole and heel.