title: Neurotized sural flap: An alternative in sensory reconstruction of the foot and ankle defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The sensory reconstruction of the lower extremity is one of the main goals in lower extremity reconstruction. Reconstructive options endowing sensory recovery are limited. The aim of this report is to evaluate the neurotized sural flap in reconstruction of foot and ankle defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven cases that were operated for foot and ankle skin defects with the neurotized sural flap were reported. The largest flap was 10 cm × 14 cm in size. Median age was 38 years. Four defects were on the heel, two were on the ankle, and one was on the dorsum of the foot. The sural nerve was coaptated to a recipient nerve in seven patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All flaps survived totally. Follow-up time ranged between 9 and 29 months. All cases had hot-cold perception and two-point discrimination at average 14 ± 1.63 mm at 6th month. Sensory conduction test revealed very low action potentials related to stimulation of the flap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neurotized sural flap is a versatile modification, for the sensory reconstruction of the moderate size foot and ankle defects.
authors.affiliation: Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Department, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Osman E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Ensar Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Barin
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cinal
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Algan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000294:innervation* / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000637:transplantation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult