To introduce the experience and comprehend of appl ication of many kinds of skin flaps in repair of heel skin and soft tissue defect. Methods From August 1993 to April 2007, 242 cases of skin and soft tissue defect on heel were treated. There were 157 males and 85 females aged 27-76 years. There were 35 cases of unstable scar, 46 cases ofchronic ulcer, 57 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 72 cases of mal ignant melanoma and 32 cases of injury. The defect area ranged from 2 cm × 2 cm to 8 cm × 14 cm, wound was with low-grade infection in 51 cases. The course of disease was 1 hour to 5 years. The lateral calcaneal flaps (34 cases), the dorsum pedis flaps (15 cases), the medial plantar artery island flaps (108 cases), the sural neurovascular flaps (36 cases), the saphenous neurocutaneous vascular flaps (26 cases) and free (myocutaneous) skin flaps (23 cases) were used to repair heel wounded surface according to specific location of heel wounded surface, range of skin and soft tissue defect. The size of the (myocutaneous) skin flap was 3.0 cm × 2.5 cm to 15.0 cm × 9.0 cm. The donor area was directly sutured or covered with skin grafts. Results In 242 cases, 235 cases achieved heal ing by first intention, 5 cases had partial necrosis of flaps, 2 cases had mild infection. The donor area healed by first intention. A total of 217 patients were followed up for 1 month to 60 months. The color of flaps were normal and the texture of flaps were softer than that of normal heel tissue; the flaps were wearable, the shape of flaps were satisfactory. The patients can walk after 6 months of operation, andthe gait was normal. In 118 cancer patients, no local tumor recurrence occurred, and distant metastatic lesions were observe in 22 mal ignant melanoma patients. In 32 cases of mal ignant melanoma followed up 60 months, no distant metastatic lesions were found. Conclusion In base of following the primary disease treatment, heel function reconstruction and contour structural feature remodel ing, we adopted some kind of island or free (myocutaneous) skin flap can be used to repair heel wound. The ideal effect in heel function reconstruction and contour structural feature remodel ing were obtained.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of different flaps in the treatment of skin defect of hell. METHODS: Forty-six patients with skin defect of hell were adopted in this study. There were 39 males and 7 females, 29 years old in average. Six different flaps were applied in the reconstructive operation, 14 plantaris medialis flaps, 4 flexor digitorum brevis muscle flaps, 3 abductor hallucis flaps, 7 latissimus dorsi flaps, 16 distal medialis flaps of leg pedicled with the cutaneous branch of posterior fibial artery, 2 foot dorsum flaps. RESULTS: All the flaps survived, primary healing of the wound in 45 cases and secondary healing in 1 case. Followed up for 3 months to 4 years, 43 patients obtained good flap sensation, the function of weight bearing were satisfied in 43 patients. CONCLUSION: The six different flaps should be applied according to patient’s condition individually. The sensation of flap is very important to the function of weight bearing.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the anatomical basis of blood supply and heel reconstruction by reversed island fibular musculocutaneous flap. METHODS: The blood supply of fibular musculocutaneous flap and the biomechanical characteristics of heel were studied by anatomical examination. One case with right heel full defect because of explosion injury was repaired by transfer of reversed island fibular vessels. The fibular flap was 14 cm in length with part of peroneus muscle and long flexor muscle of great toe. RESULTS: The lower part of fibular artery had plentiful anastomosis with anterior tibial artery and posterior tibial artery, which could provide ideal reversed blood supply. The rotatory point of vessel pedicle could be chosen according to the need of operation. The lowest site might be above 6 cm to lateral malleolus, and the vessel pedicle was 20 cm in length. The morphological feature of the reversed island fibular musculocutaneous flap was suitable to the biomechanical character of heel. The patient achieved satisfactory clinical result, the musculocutaneous flap survived well for 10 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: The reversed island fibular musculocutaneous flap provide a new method for repairing the severe heel defect, especially in full defect of calcaneus and cuboid bone.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the repairing method of soft tissue defect of heel, pedicled island myocutaneous flap of flexor digitorum brevis was designed. METHODS From 1984 to 1997, 26 cases with soft tissue defect of heel were adopted in the clinical trial. Among them, the were 18 males, 8 females and the age ranged from 15 to 60 years old. The area of wound ranged from 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm to 8.0 cm x 6.0 cm. RESULTS After operation, all of the flaps survived. They were followed up for 9 to 72 months. All of the flaps had primary healing except in one there was infection of peripheral of the flap. The contour of heel was satisfactory the sensation of flap was good and the weight-bearing function was also successful. CONCLUSION It was concluded that the myocutaneous flap of flexor digitorum brevis could be used to repair the soft tissue defect of heel because of its nearby position, hidden location, good recovery of skin sensation and weight-bearing function, Besides, the procedure of this operation was simple and the anti-inflammatory potential of the flap was high. However, Because of the limited donor area, the pre-operative design was important.
Objective To explore the effect of transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap on repairing the heel skin defect. Methods From February 2000 to April 2004, 4 kinds of flaps with non-main vessel pedicle were used to repair 30 cases of heel skin defect. Of the 30 patients, 19 were male and 11 were female, whose ages ranged from 8 to 65. Among them, 19 cases were crush injury, 5 cases were press injury, 3 cases were electric saw injury, 2 cases were osteomyelitis, and 1 case was squamous cell carcinoma. Fourteen cases were with defect area ranged from 6.0 cm×5.5 cm to 16.5 cm×11.0 cm. All the 14 cases were repaired with distant pedicled sural vascular flap of nutrient vessels and saphenous vascular flap of nutrient vessels.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 6.0 cm×5.0 cm to 18.0 cm×12.0 cm. And the other 16 cases with defect area ranged from 2.5 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×4.5 cm were repaired with foot lateral flap and foot base medial flap.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 4.0 cm×3.0 cm to 8.0 cm×7.0 cm. Results All cases were followed up for 6 to 12 months. The flaps all survived with satisfactory appearance and no ulceration. Callus appeared in 2 cases.The sense of pain and touch was partly or completely restored. The two-point discrimination sense recovered to 1.0-3.2 cm. Conclusion As it is easilyaccessible, highly flexible and causes little damage to blood circulation, transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap is effective in repairing foot heel skin defect.
OBJECTIVE To research the result of defect repairing on heel with island-shaped fascial flap of lateral foot. METHODS: Twelve cases of soft tissue defected on heel, who were resulted from trauma, chronic ulcer, chronic osteomyelitis, squamous carcinoma, and necrosis following frozen injury, were treated by transfer of island-shaped fasical flap of lateral foot. RESULTS Only 2 patients suffered marginal necrosis of flap in early stage and healed after changing dressing. The others succeeded completely. All the cases were followed up for 8 to 78 months. There was no recurrence of squamous carcinoma, no fistula or necrosis bone formed. The sensation of the flap recovered. The repaired area was similar to the heel in skin texture. CONCLUSION For the characteristics of heel skin, the transfer of island-shaped fascial flap of lateral foot has the following advantages: Similar structure of skin, reliable nerve and blood supply, simple operative techniques, and large area of donor flap.
Objective To discuss the surgery procedure and the cl inical effectiveness of repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap. Methods Between July 2002 and October 2010, 8 patients with skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel were treated. There were 6 males and2 females with an average age of 42 years (range, 28-65 years). The locations were the left foot in 5 cases and the right foot in 3 cases. Defects were caused by ulcer of the heel in 2 cases, by poor heal ing of incision after calcaneus fracture surgery in 1 case, and by crushing in 5 cases. The defect size ranged from 1.5 cm × 1.0 cm to 8.0 cm × 2.6 cm. The disease duration was 30 minutes to 26 months. The result of bacterial culture was positive in 2 cases. After 9 to 15 days of debridement and dressing change, defects were repaired with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap of 5.6 cm × 1.5 cm to 7.6 cm × 1.8 cm at size. The donor sites were sutured directly. Results Partial necrosis of muscle flap occurred in 1 case at 4 days after operation, which was cured by symptomatic treatment, and the other muscle flaps survived. All incisions of the donor sites healed by first intention. The muscle flaps survived and the granulation grew well at 9-21 days after operation, and the muscle flap wounds were repaired by free leg edge thickness skin grafting. Wounds were repaired by one-stage free skin grafting in 1 case and by two-stage free skin grafting in 7 cases; all skin flaps survived and wounds healed by first intention. Seven patients were followed up 9-18 months (mean, 11 months). The appearance, texture, and sensation were satisfactory. The two-point discrimination was 16-23 mm (mean, 19.5 mm). Epidermal abrasion occurred in 1 case of heel ulcer after weigt-bearing walking. Hallux valgus and muscle weakness occurred in 1 case of necrosis of the peroneus length tendons; and the satisfactory results were achieved in the other patients. Conclusion It has satisfactory effectiveness to use the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap for repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel, which has the advantages of easy-to-operate, safe, less injury at donor site, goodappearance and texture, and good recovery of sensation.
Objective To investigate the surgical resection and reparation of heel with malignant melanoma. Methods Eight patients with malignant melanoma were treated from May 2001 to December 2003. The patients included 5 males and 3 females, and their ages ranged from 28 to 56 years. All lesions were located in theheel and were proved by pathological examination. According to Breslow classification, there were 2 cases of Grade Ⅰ, 5 cases of Grade Ⅱ, and 1 case of GradeⅢ. Local extensive resection was performed in all cases. Lateral pedal skin flap, plantar medial artery island skin flap, and retrograde skin flap supplied bysural nutrition blood vessel were respectively applied in the reparation according to the size of heel soft tissue defect. The treatment with interferon was delivered before and after the operation. Results The surgical reparation was successful in all 8 cases. The postoperative follow-up was conducted from 18 monthsto 4 years. All patients remained alive and no tumor recurrence was observed. Considering the recovery of the function and sense, the best result was acquired with plantar medial artery island skin flap and lateral pedal skin flap, good with retrograde skin flap supplied by sural nutrition blood vessel. Conclusion Local extensive resection is essential for the heel with malignant melanoma. Reparative reconstruction should be made on negative operative margin. Satisfactory clinical outcome is achieved by using lateral pedal skin flap, plantar medial artery island skin flap, and retrograde skin flap supplied by sural nutrition blood vessel.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the characteristics, treatment, and effectiveness of grade Ⅲ spoke heel injury in children. MethodsBetween January 2007 and June 2013, 31 children with grade Ⅲ spoke heel injuries were treated. There were 19 boys and 12 girls, aged from 3 to 12 years (mean, 5.2 years). The time from trauma to operation was 2 hours to 26 days (mean, 4.4 days). The soft tissue defects of the heels ranged from 3.5 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×4.5 cm, which all complicated with Achilles tendon and calcaneus tuberosity defects. In 16 cases of large Achilles tendon defects which can not be stretched straightly to calcaneus tuberosities, repair with sl iding gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flaps (16 cm×5 cm to 21 cm×10 cm ) and insertion reconstruction of the tendon were performed. In 15 cases of Achilles tendon defects which can be stretched straightly to calcaneus tuberosities, repair with reversed pedicled flap (4.0 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×4.5 cm) and insertion reconstruction of the tendon were given. Nerve anastomosis was not performed. The donor site was covered with spl it-thickness skin graft. ResultsAll children were followed up 6 months to 4 years (mean, 13 months). The other flaps survived except 3 cases having partial necrosis. The color and appearance of the flaps were satisfactory, with no impact on wearing shoes and walking. The flaps recovered sensory function. As more follow-up time, the angle of dorsal flexion was gradually improved. Heel raising on one leg was restored. The bone amount of calcaneus tuberosity increased slowly based on X-ray films. ConclusionGrade Ⅲ spoke heel injury in children possesses pecul iar features, surgical methods should be based on defects of Achilles tendon and soft tissue. Dorsal flexion of the ankle is obviously l imited; as follow-up time goes on, the ankle function is progressively improved. However, long-term follow-up is needed.
OBJECTIVE: Soft tissue defect of heel is not uncommon. Transplantation of free cutaneous flap and transfer of axial cutaneous flap have been used in treating such defect successfully, but both of them are somewhat complicated. Local plantar rotatory flap might show great importance in this field. METHODS: Since March 1993 to March 1998, 9 cases with soft tissue defect of heel were repaired by local plantar rotation flaps. The size of defect ranged from 2 cm x 4 cm to 6 cm x 8 cm, and it was designed superficial to plantar fascia. The flap was medially based, and nutrilized by proximal plantar subcutaneous plexus of blood supply as well as lateral and medial plantar nerve. RESULTS: Followed up 4 months to 2 years, all the flaps were survived. Sensation of the flap was preserved in 7 patients, who had normal sensation of the donated area preoperatively. The transferred flap was endurable to body bearing. CONCLUSIONS: The flap is easily prepared with reliable blood supply and sensation of the flap preserved. The method is worthy to be recommended for widely use because of its advantages over other methods.