Repair of soft tissue defect of mid-and forefoot with anterolateral wide pedicled double dynamic flap of calf / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effects of anterolateral wide pedicled double dynamic flap of the calf in repair of soft tissue defects of mid-and forefoot.Methods:From September 2015 to Septemler 2020, 15 cases with severe soft tissue defects of mid-and forefoot were repaired with the anterolateral wide pedicled double dynamic flap of the calf. There were 11 males and 4 females with an average age of 37(range, 22-53)years old. Of the 15 cases, the defects were caused by traffic accident in 6 cases and objects smash in 9 cases. Three cases were simple soft tissue defect, and 12 cases combined with fracture or dislocation and bone defect. The size of soft tissue defects ranged from 4 cm×5 cm to 7 cm×12 cm. All wounds of donor sites were repaired by skin grafting. All patients entered follow-ups at the outpatient clinic or through WeChat. The appearance of flaps and limb recovery were recorded after surgery.Results:All cases followed-up for 6-24 (mean, 16) months. Two days after surgery, 1 case had flap swelling and cyanosis, which was improved after pedicle suture removal and surface bloodletting. The pedicle of the flap was slightly bloated in 4 cases, and the texture and appearance were good in 11 cases. The ankle function of all cases recovered satisfactorily. The ranges of ankle motion were 15°-20° for dorsiflexion and 30°-40° for plantar flexion. The donor site healed well and all the skin grafts survived.Conclusion:The anterolateral wide pedicled double dynamic flap of the calf is one of the ideal flaps for repairing the soft tissue defects of the mid-and forefoot with reliable blood supply, sufficient venous return, simple operation and no require a vascular anastomosis.