title: Use of a free gracilis flap for coverage of medium size defects over the ankle and foot.
abstract: We report the use of a free gracilis flap in six cases of medium size tissue loss over the ankle and foot. All the procedures were done under spinal or epidural block. A muscle flap was used twice and a musculocutaneous flap four times. The skin paddle was reliable in three cases for evaluation of the vascularity of the musculocutaneous flaps, but in one case there was necrosis of 70% of the surface. In three cases the fatty skin paddle was removed at two weeks and the entire muscle surface was mesh skin grafted. The advantages of the use of a gracilis flap are easy dissection and low donor site morbidity. This flat and thin muscle is well-suited for medium size defects from 8-15 cm. The length of the pedicle could be extended to 8 cm by dissecting it as far as the profunda femoris vessels.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Reconstructive Surgery of The Locomotor Apparatus, Hôpital Jeanne d'Arc, CHRU Nancy, France. pvoche@libertysurf.fr
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Voche
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps