The extended peroneal artery perforator flap for lower extremity reconstruction.
The peroneal artery perforator flap and its modifications have been widely used for coverage of soft tissue defects of ankle and foot in the past decade. In this article, we report on a series of upper knee, ankle, and foot reconstructions with a proximally or distally based extended peroneal artery perforator (EPAP) flap supplied by distinct perforating branches off the proximal or distal peroneal artery. Total pedicle length obtained ranged from 6 to 12 cm. Twelve patients with soft tissue defects of the lower extremity underwent reconstruction using the EPAP flap. The flaps were designed with the sizes from 10 x 6 cm to 25 x 15 cm. All 12 flaps survived completely without complications. Our experience demonstrates that the EPAP flap is reliable and versatile and can provide a large amount of soft tissue for coverage of defects in the leg anywhere from knee to forefoot obviating the need for free tissue transplantation.
Ruan
Hong-Jiang
HJ
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Sixth People's Hospital, Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Cai
Pei-Hua
PH
Schleich
Arno R
AR
Fan
Cun-Yi
CY
Chai
Yi-Min
YM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D055815:Young Adult