title: Medialis pedis flap in the reconstruction of palmar skin defects of the digits: clarifying the anatomy of the medial plantar artery.
abstract: Because of its outstanding texture, bulkiness, pliability and sensory recovery, the medialis pedis is an excellent alternative in the reconstruction of complex volar skin defects of the digits in selected patients. However, the surgical flap anatomy related with the medial plantar artery is still somewhat confusing to the point that the different journal articles and anatomy textbooks and atlases use different terminology and are, to some extent, misleading and/or incomplete. The authors report a clinical series of 15 medialis pedis free flaps in the reconstruction of skin defects of the fingers and evaluate their indications in free flap reconstruction of the skin defects of the digits. A review is made of the most relevant journal articles, anatomy textbooks, and atlases that describe the anatomy of the medial plantar artery with a special emphasis on the cutaneous branches that nourish the medialis pedis flap.
authors.affiliation: From the Fellow of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Diplomate of the European Federation Societies for Surgery of the Hand, and Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery Hospital Quirón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Vegas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005528:Foot / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D055815:Young Adult