J Korean Soc Microsurg.  2007 Nov;16(2):119-124.

Sural Artery Flap for Skin Defect of Lower Legs

• Jin JW
• Yoon JH
• Jung SW
• Paeng JW

Abstract

PURPOSE: We reconstructed the skin defect of lower legs exposing muscles, tendons and bone with fasciocutaneous sural artery flap and report our cases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Between March 2005 and September 2006, 8 cases of skin defect were reconstructed with fasciocutaneous sural artery flap. Defect site were 4 case of ankle and foot and 4 cases of lower leg. The average defect size was 4x4 cm2. There were 5 men and 3 women and mean age was 52.2 years. We evaluated the viability of flap, postoperative complication, healing time, patient's satisfaction.
RESULTS
There was no flap failure in 8 cases. But recurrent discharge in 2 cases was healed through several times adequate debridement and delayed suture without complication. Flap edema may be due to venous congestion was healed through leg elevation and use of low molecular weight heparin. Mean time to heal the skin defect was 4 weeks. No infection and recurrence in follow up period. Cosmetic results as judged by patients were that 5 cases are good and 3 cases are fair.
CONCLUSION
Sural artery flap is good treatment method among the numerous methods in the cases of skin defect, with soft tissue exposed, which is not covered with debridment and skin graft. Sural artery flap is useful method for the skin defect of lower legs because it is simple procedure, has constant blood supply and relatively good cosmetic effect.

Keyword

Skin defect of lower leg; Sural artery flap

MeSH Terms

Ankle
Arteries*
Debridement
Edema
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Foot
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight
Humans
Hyperemia
Leg*
Male
Muscles
Postoperative Complications
Recurrence
Skin*
Sutures
Tendons
Transplants
Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight