title: Island lateral plantar artery perforator flap for reconstruction of weight-bearing plantar areas.
abstract: Reconstruction of the foot often presents difficulties, particularly in weight-bearing areas (WBA). The peculiarities of WBA tissues are rarely found in other regions of the body. The case examined, presents a 72-year-old diabetic patient, with lower-limb arteriopathy, and sensitive and motor neuropathy, with an ulcer in the weight-bearing area of the foot, close to the V metatarsal bone. The plantar defect was reconstructed by using an island V-Y 6cm×3cm flap, based on the lateral plantar artery perforators. The postoperative course was smooth and the flap survived completely. The lateral plantar artery perforator flap is minimally invasive and provides a valid alternative for the repair of glabrous plantar defects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Policlinico Umberto I, 00161 Rome, Italy. emanuelecigna@msn.com
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cigna
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fioramonti
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fino
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scuderi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000150:complications; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000601:surgery*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000150:complications; D005528:Foot / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016474:Weight-Bearing