title: [The clinical application of the reverse island skin flap supplied by the superficial sural artery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conform the reliability of the reverse island skin flap supplied by the superficial sural artery in clinical applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The distally based superficial sural artery flap was designed on the posterior aspect of the leg. 15 patients were treated with this flap, who had soft-tissue shortage of the lower third of the leg, the foot or the heel. The size of the flap ranged from 10 cm x 8 cm to 5 cm x 4 cm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All flaps survived. The results were satisfactory after 6 to 18 months' postoperative follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The blood supply of this flap is reliable without sacrificing the major arteries. Flap elevation is easy and quick. This flap may provide a new method in reconstructioning the soft-tissue shortage of the lower leg, the foot and the heel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Gaozhou People's Hospital, Gaozhou 5252000, PR China.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps