Premium
Posterior tibial artery‐based multilobar combined flap free transfer for repair of complex soft tissue defects
Author(s) -
Zhang Xu,
Wang Xiaohua,
Wen Sumin,
Zhu Hongwei,
Ning Zhiwen,
Mi Xu,
Li Chenglin,
Yu Ruxia
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.20529
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , posterior tibial artery , reinnervation , soft tissue , free flap , anterior tibial artery , artery , anatomy
In this report, the posterior tibial artery (PTA) based multilobar combined flap is introduced for the repair of complex soft tissue defects. The flap was designed based on the perforatoring branches of PTA in the anterior soleus muscle septum, which supply the skin over the medial side of the calf and the entire soleus muscle. The saphenous nerve was included in one perforator flap of the combined flap for reinnervation. The tibial artery was repaired with a vein graft after harvest of flap. From October 2005 to February 2007, eight patients (6 males, 2 females) underwent PTA‐based multilobar combined flap transfer for coverage of soft tissue defects involving the foot (three cases), hand (two cases), and calf (three cases). Each combined flap composed of two to three perforator flaps, and the size of the perforator flaps ranged from 4 × 2 cm to 10 × 8 cm. With an average follow‐up of 6 months, all flaps survived without complications and injured extremities showed a good functional recovery with restoration of the partial protective sensation on the flap with reinnervation. This clinical report has shown that a reliable multilobar combined flap can be designed based on the perforators of the posterior tibial artery and used for coverage of the complex wound. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2008.