title: Diabetic foot salvage with microsurgical free-tissue transfer.
abstract: The efficacy of microsurgical free-tissue transfer for the treatment of chronic nonhealing infected diabetic foot ulcers was evaluated in a retrospective study. Between January 1992-December 1997, 10 patients underwent surgery at the American University of Beirut. Muscular free flaps were used to salvage 8 feet, and fasciocutaneous free flaps were used in 2 feet. The flap survival rate was 90%, a result that is equivalent to other series of microvascular tissue transfer in nondiabetic patients; the postoperative morbidity rate was comparable to that of nondiabetic patients. Infection control was achieved in 87.5% of patients. Seven of the 9 surviving patients had bipedal gait and were ambulatory, with full weight-bearing on their flaps at the end of the 2-year follow-up period. Microvascular free-tissue transfer can be used successfully for the salvage of infected diabetic foot ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Riyad Solh, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ramzi S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Moucharafieh
authors.forename: Ramzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Musharrafieh
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saghieh
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macari
authors.forename: Bechara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Atiyeh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods