OBJECTIVETo investigate the operative techniques and clinical results of the facial pedicled flap with vascular perforating branch of leg.

METHODSFrom May 1998 to January 2009,62 patients with soft tissue defects on the lower limbs were treated by four kinds of flap pedicled with the medial, posterior,anterolateral and posterolateral vascular perforating branches in the leg, included 50 males and 12 females, aged from 7 to 78 years old. There were 23 cases of the facial pedicled flap based on the perforating branch of the tibialis posterior artery, 9 cases of the facial pedicled flap based on the distal perforating branch of peroneal artery, 22 cases of the facial pedicled flap based on the peroneal artery perforator, 8 cases of the facial pedicled flap based on the lateral popliteal cutaneous artery.

RESULTSThe remaining flaps were completely survived except for 2 cases with epidermal necrosis and scab of distal flap, and 1 case with skin necrosis and skingrafting later. The patients were followed-up for from 1 month to 3 years, the appearance of the flaps were satisfied and the function were good.

CONCLUSIONThe blood supply area of single perforator vascular of the leg is insufficient, so the presence facial pedicled flap of arterial chains will expend obviously the area of perforator flap that be good to blood supply and venous return.