Reconstruction of Foot and Ankle Soft Tissue Defecty by Lateral Supramalleolar Flap

Choi, Soo Jung; Yuh, Young Deok; Lee, Chang Ju; Cho, Won Ho; Chang, Ho Guen

Abstract

In 1988, a new fascioutaneous flap, the Lateral supramalleolar flap, was introduced by Masquelet and Roman. The flap is designed on the lower third of the aspect of leg, and supplied by a cutaneous branch from the perforating branch of the peroneal artery. This perforating branch continues distally deep to the fascia along the anterior ankle and into the foot. This can be use as either proximally based rotation flap or distally based reversed pedicle island flap giving the flap an arc of rotation that allows coverage of the dorsal, lateral and plantar aspects of the foot, the posterior heel and the lower medial portion of the leg. The authors have recently used this flap for 13 cases of foot and ankle soft tissue defect reconstruction and all the cases, except two partial marginal necrosis, good postoperative course. In our opinion, this flap is useful for reconstruction of foot and ankle soft tissue defect which does not need nerve innervation. The main advantages of the flap are as follows 1. It may be a rather large flap(15Ã— 9cm2 ). 2. The pedicle is long(8cm) and easy to dissect. 3. The pivot of the pedicle is distal(sinus tarsi) and allows great local possibilities of coverage. 4. It does not require the sacrifice of a main artery.