Microvascular free-flap salvage of the diabetic foot: a 5-year experience.
This study reviews 21 microvascular free flaps to the diabetic foot in 19 patients over a 65-month period. All flaps were either to the plantar surface of the foot or to cover exposed Achilles tendon. Twenty of the flaps survived. The operations required a long, costly hospitalization with frequent recipient- and donor-site complications. All patients eventually ambulated on their flaps. Five patients came to proximal amputation from 6 to 37 months after surgery. Only one amputation was for flap breakdown.
Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, New York University Medical Center, N.Y.
N S
NS
Karp
A K
AK
Kasabian
J W
JW
Siebert
Y
Y
Eidelman
S
S
Colen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures