title: Reconstruction of foot defects due to mine explosion using muscle flaps.
abstract: Landmine explosions bring a formidable challenge to both patients and reconstructive surgeons. Free tissue transfer is the only method of repairing such extensive soft tissue defects of the foot after serial debridements. Sixty-five consecutive free muscle flap transfers were performed in 54 patients who had foot defects involving soft tissue and bone due to mine explosions. Although posttraumatic vessel disease had complicated most of the cases, overall flap survival rate was 83%. Each patient was ambulatory. Ulceration in long-term period was seen in only one patient. Eighty-five percent of patients with successful bone reconstruction and 41.6% of patients without adequate bone replacement demonstrated normal weightbearing in footprints and gait analysis. Free muscle flaps with split thickness skin graft and bone replacement are recommended for the reconstruction of such devastating wounds.
authors.affiliation: Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Etlik-Amkara, Turkey.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selmanpakoglu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Güler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sengezer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Türegün
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demirogullari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome