OBJECTIVE To investigate the repairing method of soft tissue defect of heel, pedicled island myocutaneous flap of flexor digitorum brevis was designed. METHODS From 1984 to 1997, 26 cases with soft tissue defect of heel were adopted in the clinical trial. Among them, the were 18 males, 8 females and the age ranged from 15 to 60 years old. The area of wound ranged from 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm to 8.0 cm x 6.0 cm. RESULTS After operation, all of the flaps survived. They were followed up for 9 to 72 months. All of the flaps had primary healing except in one there was infection of peripheral of the flap. The contour of heel was satisfactory the sensation of flap was good and the weight-bearing function was also successful. CONCLUSION It was concluded that the myocutaneous flap of flexor digitorum brevis could be used to repair the soft tissue defect of heel because of its nearby position, hidden location, good recovery of skin sensation and weight-bearing function, Besides, the procedure of this operation was simple and the anti-inflammatory potential of the flap was high. However, Because of the limited donor area, the pre-operative design was important.
OBJECTIVE: Soft tissue defect of heel is not uncommon. Transplantation of free cutaneous flap and transfer of axial cutaneous flap have been used in treating such defect successfully, but both of them are somewhat complicated. Local plantar rotatory flap might show great importance in this field. METHODS: Since March 1993 to March 1998, 9 cases with soft tissue defect of heel were repaired by local plantar rotation flaps. The size of defect ranged from 2 cm x 4 cm to 6 cm x 8 cm, and it was designed superficial to plantar fascia. The flap was medially based, and nutrilized by proximal plantar subcutaneous plexus of blood supply as well as lateral and medial plantar nerve. RESULTS: Followed up 4 months to 2 years, all the flaps were survived. Sensation of the flap was preserved in 7 patients, who had normal sensation of the donated area preoperatively. The transferred flap was endurable to body bearing. CONCLUSIONS: The flap is easily prepared with reliable blood supply and sensation of the flap preserved. The method is worthy to be recommended for widely use because of its advantages over other methods.
Objective To evaluate the characteristics, classification, treatment methods, and cl inical outcomes of the spoke heel injuries in children. Methods From June 2001 to June 2008, 289 children with bicycle or motorcycle spoke heel injuries were treated, including 179 males and 110 females aged 2-12 years old (average 3.9 years old). There were 179 cases of skin contusion and laceration (type I), 83 cases of skin and soft tissue defect with Achilles tendon exposure (type II), and 27 cases of wide skin and soft tissue defect with the Achilles tendon defect and rupture (type III). The defect size of the skin or the soft tissues ranged from 3 cm × 2 cm to 11 cm × 7 cm in type II and type III injury. The time between injury and hospital admission was 1-53 days (average 14.5 days). Child patients with type I injury were managed with dressing or suturing after debridement. For the child patients with type II injury, the wound was repaired with the regional fascia flap in 53 cases, the reverse sural neurocutaneous vascular flap in 19 cases, the reverse saphenous neurocutaneous vascular flap in 9 cases, and the lateral supramalleolar flap in 2 cases. For the child patients with type III injury, 6 cases underwent primary repair of the Achilles tendon followed by the transposition of the reverse sural neurocutaneous vascular flap, 3 cases received primary repair of the wound with the reverse sural neurocutaneous vascular flap and secondary reconstruction of the Achilles tendon with the upturned fascia strip or the ipsilateral il iotibial tract transplant, and 18 cases underwent primary repair of the wound and the Achilles tendon with the sl iding bi-pedicled gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap. The flap size ranged from 4 cm × 2 cm to 30 cm × 12 cm. All the donor sites were closed bypartial suture and spl it-thickness skins graft. The lower l imbs were immobil ized with plaster spl ints after operation. Results All the flaps survived except for 1 case of type II suffering from distal flap venous crisis 3 days after operation and 6 cases of type III suffering from distal flap necrosis 3-5 days after operation. All those flaps survived after symptomatic treatment. All the skin grafts at the donor site survived uneventfully. All the wounds healed by first intention. All child patients were followed up for 15-820 days (average 42 days). Child patients with type I and type II injury had a full recovery of ankle functions. While 25 cases of type III injury had ankle dorsal extension degree loss (10-30°) and unilateral plantar flexion strength decrease 3 months after operationwithout influence on walking, and 2 cases recovered well. Conclusion Spoke heel injury in children has special mec hanisms of injury, and the choice of proper treatment method should be based on the types of injury.
OBJECTIVE The repair of soft tissue defect of heel by traditional operation did not restore the sensation of the heel. METHODS In order to solve this problem, the saphenous neurovascular skin flap reinnervated by end-to-side neuro-anastomosis was designed and 3 male patients with soft tissue defects of the heel were so treated. Grossgraft of saphenous neurovascular skin flap was employed for repairing the soft tissue defects of heel and the pedicle was divided at 21 days after operation. The end-to-side neuro-anastomosis was used to reinnervate not only the skim flap, but also the skin area of the medial malleolus, medial aspect of the foot and the big toe of the donor limb. RESULTS After follow-up of 6-12 months, the walking and weight bearing functions of the affected limbs were good, the contour of the grafted area was satisfactory, and the recovery of sensation of the skin flap, the medial malleolus, the medial aspect of the foot and the big toe was observed. CONCLUSION 1. Crossgraft of the saphenous skin flap was an effective method to repair the soft tissue defect of the heel; 2. End-to-side neuro-anastomosis could restore the sensation of the skin flap.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of different flaps in the treatment of skin defect of hell. METHODS: Forty-six patients with skin defect of hell were adopted in this study. There were 39 males and 7 females, 29 years old in average. Six different flaps were applied in the reconstructive operation, 14 plantaris medialis flaps, 4 flexor digitorum brevis muscle flaps, 3 abductor hallucis flaps, 7 latissimus dorsi flaps, 16 distal medialis flaps of leg pedicled with the cutaneous branch of posterior fibial artery, 2 foot dorsum flaps. RESULTS: All the flaps survived, primary healing of the wound in 45 cases and secondary healing in 1 case. Followed up for 3 months to 4 years, 43 patients obtained good flap sensation, the function of weight bearing were satisfied in 43 patients. CONCLUSION: The six different flaps should be applied according to patient’s condition individually. The sensation of flap is very important to the function of weight bearing.
Objective To investigate the surgical resection and reparation of heel with malignant melanoma. Methods Eight patients with malignant melanoma were treated from May 2001 to December 2003. The patients included 5 males and 3 females, and their ages ranged from 28 to 56 years. All lesions were located in theheel and were proved by pathological examination. According to Breslow classification, there were 2 cases of Grade Ⅰ, 5 cases of Grade Ⅱ, and 1 case of GradeⅢ. Local extensive resection was performed in all cases. Lateral pedal skin flap, plantar medial artery island skin flap, and retrograde skin flap supplied bysural nutrition blood vessel were respectively applied in the reparation according to the size of heel soft tissue defect. The treatment with interferon was delivered before and after the operation. Results The surgical reparation was successful in all 8 cases. The postoperative follow-up was conducted from 18 monthsto 4 years. All patients remained alive and no tumor recurrence was observed. Considering the recovery of the function and sense, the best result was acquired with plantar medial artery island skin flap and lateral pedal skin flap, good with retrograde skin flap supplied by sural nutrition blood vessel. Conclusion Local extensive resection is essential for the heel with malignant melanoma. Reparative reconstruction should be made on negative operative margin. Satisfactory clinical outcome is achieved by using lateral pedal skin flap, plantar medial artery island skin flap, and retrograde skin flap supplied by sural nutrition blood vessel.
Objective To explore the effect of transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap on repairing the heel skin defect. Methods From February 2000 to April 2004, 4 kinds of flaps with non-main vessel pedicle were used to repair 30 cases of heel skin defect. Of the 30 patients, 19 were male and 11 were female, whose ages ranged from 8 to 65. Among them, 19 cases were crush injury, 5 cases were press injury, 3 cases were electric saw injury, 2 cases were osteomyelitis, and 1 case was squamous cell carcinoma. Fourteen cases were with defect area ranged from 6.0 cm×5.5 cm to 16.5 cm×11.0 cm. All the 14 cases were repaired with distant pedicled sural vascular flap of nutrient vessels and saphenous vascular flap of nutrient vessels.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 6.0 cm×5.0 cm to 18.0 cm×12.0 cm. And the other 16 cases with defect area ranged from 2.5 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×4.5 cm were repaired with foot lateral flap and foot base medial flap.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 4.0 cm×3.0 cm to 8.0 cm×7.0 cm. Results All cases were followed up for 6 to 12 months. The flaps all survived with satisfactory appearance and no ulceration. Callus appeared in 2 cases.The sense of pain and touch was partly or completely restored. The two-point discrimination sense recovered to 1.0-3.2 cm. Conclusion As it is easilyaccessible, highly flexible and causes little damage to blood circulation, transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap is effective in repairing foot heel skin defect.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the characteristics, treatment, and effectiveness of grade Ⅲ spoke heel injury in children. MethodsBetween January 2007 and June 2013, 31 children with grade Ⅲ spoke heel injuries were treated. There were 19 boys and 12 girls, aged from 3 to 12 years (mean, 5.2 years). The time from trauma to operation was 2 hours to 26 days (mean, 4.4 days). The soft tissue defects of the heels ranged from 3.5 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×4.5 cm, which all complicated with Achilles tendon and calcaneus tuberosity defects. In 16 cases of large Achilles tendon defects which can not be stretched straightly to calcaneus tuberosities, repair with sl iding gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flaps (16 cm×5 cm to 21 cm×10 cm ) and insertion reconstruction of the tendon were performed. In 15 cases of Achilles tendon defects which can be stretched straightly to calcaneus tuberosities, repair with reversed pedicled flap (4.0 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×4.5 cm) and insertion reconstruction of the tendon were given. Nerve anastomosis was not performed. The donor site was covered with spl it-thickness skin graft. ResultsAll children were followed up 6 months to 4 years (mean, 13 months). The other flaps survived except 3 cases having partial necrosis. The color and appearance of the flaps were satisfactory, with no impact on wearing shoes and walking. The flaps recovered sensory function. As more follow-up time, the angle of dorsal flexion was gradually improved. Heel raising on one leg was restored. The bone amount of calcaneus tuberosity increased slowly based on X-ray films. ConclusionGrade Ⅲ spoke heel injury in children possesses pecul iar features, surgical methods should be based on defects of Achilles tendon and soft tissue. Dorsal flexion of the ankle is obviously l imited; as follow-up time goes on, the ankle function is progressively improved. However, long-term follow-up is needed.
Objective To discuss the surgery procedure and the cl inical effectiveness of repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap. Methods Between July 2002 and October 2010, 8 patients with skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel were treated. There were 6 males and2 females with an average age of 42 years (range, 28-65 years). The locations were the left foot in 5 cases and the right foot in 3 cases. Defects were caused by ulcer of the heel in 2 cases, by poor heal ing of incision after calcaneus fracture surgery in 1 case, and by crushing in 5 cases. The defect size ranged from 1.5 cm × 1.0 cm to 8.0 cm × 2.6 cm. The disease duration was 30 minutes to 26 months. The result of bacterial culture was positive in 2 cases. After 9 to 15 days of debridement and dressing change, defects were repaired with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap of 5.6 cm × 1.5 cm to 7.6 cm × 1.8 cm at size. The donor sites were sutured directly. Results Partial necrosis of muscle flap occurred in 1 case at 4 days after operation, which was cured by symptomatic treatment, and the other muscle flaps survived. All incisions of the donor sites healed by first intention. The muscle flaps survived and the granulation grew well at 9-21 days after operation, and the muscle flap wounds were repaired by free leg edge thickness skin grafting. Wounds were repaired by one-stage free skin grafting in 1 case and by two-stage free skin grafting in 7 cases; all skin flaps survived and wounds healed by first intention. Seven patients were followed up 9-18 months (mean, 11 months). The appearance, texture, and sensation were satisfactory. The two-point discrimination was 16-23 mm (mean, 19.5 mm). Epidermal abrasion occurred in 1 case of heel ulcer after weigt-bearing walking. Hallux valgus and muscle weakness occurred in 1 case of necrosis of the peroneus length tendons; and the satisfactory results were achieved in the other patients. Conclusion It has satisfactory effectiveness to use the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap for repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel, which has the advantages of easy-to-operate, safe, less injury at donor site, goodappearance and texture, and good recovery of sensation.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of using a sensory prefabricated flap to repair the heel avulsion injury. MethodsBetween August 2012 and August 2013, 6 cases of heel avulsion injury were treated. There were 4 males and 2 females, aged 16-54 years (mean, 29 years). The causes were crush injury in 4 cases and wheel twist injury in 2 cases. The injury to admission time was 2-6 hours (mean, 4 hours). The size of skin avulsion ranged from 5 cm×3 cm to 15 cm×8 cm. Avulsion skin had no replanted condition. At one stage operation, the avulsed heel skin soft tissue was made the full thickness skin graft which was fostered on the anterolateral thigh with lateral circumflex femoral artery perforator, and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve was put beneath the skin to prefabricate the prefabricated flap; at two stage operation, the prefabricated skin flap pedicled with lateral circumflex femoral artery was used to repair the wound, and the lateral femoral nerve was anastomosed with the calcaneal nerve to reconstruct the feeling. ResultsSix prefabricated flaps all survived, and re-plantation flaps survived after operation. The wounds healed by first intention at donor site and recipient site. The patients were followed up 1-2 years (mean, 1.5 years). The flaps had satisfactory appearance and soft texture. At 1 year after operation, the sensation of the flaps was S3, with two-point discrimination of 22-27 mm (mean, 24.3 mm). According to ZHANG Ming's evaluation standards, the results were excellent in 5 cases, and good in 1 case. The patients could walk normally or with weight-bearing; only linear scar formed at the donor site. ConclusionFor patients with heel soft tissue avulsion injury without replantation qualification, a sensory prefabricated flap by the avulsed heel skin soft tissue can transplanted to repair the heel defect. Satisfactory effectiveness can be obtained in heel appearance and function recovery.