Lower Extremity Reconstruction of Soft Tissue Defects with Perforator Island Flap

Lee, Tae Hoon; Choi, Jae Won; Lee, Jun Ho; Kim, Hyo Heon

Abstract

The reconstruction of deep soft tissue defects of lower extremities combined with bone exposure has been difficult problems. When it is impossible to raise local skin flap, we have been usually used the gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap, cross leg flap or free flaps. However, In musculocutaneous flap, aesthetical appearance of the calf is not appropriate because of too bulky flap. Although the success rate of the free flap has improved, still failure of flap occurs in cases of the chronic ischemic state. As the concepts of perforator flap has recently developed and widely used due to its thin flap thickness. Between January 2002 to December 2004, we treated 7 patients with soft tissue defect in leg with chronic ischemic limbs with perforator island flap. Preoperative angiography were done in all case and we used 2 medial sural perforator flaps, 1 anterior tibial artery perforator flap, 1 posterior tibial artery perforator flap, 3 anterolateral thigh perforator flap. Partial necrosis of flap was seen in one patient but no further surgical procedure was required for wound healed spontaneously. Perforator island flaps are thin, reduce donor site morbidity, conceal donor site with primary closure and it is useful for resurfacing soft tissue defect of lower extremities.