Reconstruction of the Soft Tissue Defect of the Foot, Ankle and Distal Lower Extremity with Distally Based Superficial Sural Artery Flap

역행성 표재 비복동맥 피판을 이용한 족부 및 족관절부, 하지 원위부의 재건

Reconstruction of soft tissue defect of the foot, ankle and distal tibial area has been and remains a challenging problem for reconstructive surgeons. We treated 19 patients who showed soft tissue defect in these area with distally based superficial sural artery flaps, including four adipofascial flaps, two sensate flaps. The size of the soft tissue defect was from $4{\times}5cm\;to\;8{\times}10cm$. In nine cases, we preserved sural nerve. Seventeen flaps survived completely, but one flap failed and another flap showed partial skin necrosis at the distal half. In failed cases, lesser saphenous vein was ruptured at initial injury. The advantage of this flap is a constant and reliable blood supply without sacrifice of major artery or sensory nerve. Elevation of the flap is technically easy and quick. The pedicle is long and the island flap can be transffered as far as to the instep area. It also has the potential for sensate flap, innervated by the lateral sural cutaneous nerve. But for appropriate venous drainage small saphenous vein must be preserved.