Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in foot and ankle with sural neurovascular flap of small saphenous vein super drainage
10.3760/cma.j.cn441206-20240904-00203
- VernacularTitle:小隐静脉超回流的腓肠神经营养血管皮瓣修复足踝部软组织缺损
- Author:
Erlin CHENG
1
;
Maimaiti XIAYIMAIERDAN
1
;
Peng REN
1
;
Abula ABULAITI
1
;
Abulaiti ALIMUJIANG
1
;
Wumaierjiang YILIYAER
1
;
Yusufu AIHEMAITIJIANG
1
Author Information
1. 新疆医科大学第一附属医院骨科中心显微修复外科 新疆创伤修复重建重点实验室，乌鲁木齐 830054
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Sural neurovascular flap;
Small saphenous vein;
Super drainage technique;
Foot and ankle;
Soft tissue defect;
Reconstruction
- From:
Chinese Journal of Microsurgery
2025;48(1):14-19
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the clinical effect on sural neurovascular flap of small saphenous vein super drainage in reconstruction of soft tissue defects in foot and ankle.Methods:A retrospective case study was conducted to analyse the data of 22 patients who had transfer of sural neurovascular flaps of small saphenous vein with super drainage for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in foot and ankle in the Department of Microrepair and Reconstruction, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from June 2018 to September 2023. The patients were 19 males and 3 females aged from 16 to 70 years, with an average age of 39.0 years. Seven patients had the injury caused by compression cut, 2 of car accident, 4 of falling from height, 8 of infective wound and 1 of burning scar. The flaps were 7.0 cm × 5.0 cm - 15.0 cm × 9.0 cm in size. High frequency CDU was employed before surgery to detect the velocity of blood flow of the super drainage small saphenous vein. The patients who received transfer of sural neurovascular flap of small saphenous vein super drainage were entered in scheduled follow-up at outpatient clinic or via telephone interviews after surgery to observe the flap appearance, healing of donor and recipient sites, and the function of the affected limb. High frequency CDU was used to detect the velocity of blood flow of the small saphenous vein super drainage in follow-up.Results:All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up for 8-36 months, with an average of 20.15 months. Twenty-one flaps survived completely. One flap had partial necrosis at the edge. High frequency CDU detected an average velocity of blood flow at 2.80 cm/s in the small saphenous vein super drainage. The flaps had good colour and texture without swelling, and the wound in the recipient site healed well. The function of the affected limb was evaluated according to the functional assessment criteria of American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), with 21 patients in excellent and 1 in good. All patients had gained normal ankle function.Conclusion:The sural neurovascular flap with a super perfused small saphenous vein can establish effective venous reflux, reduce the risk of distal necrosis of the flap, and is an effective method for reconstruction of soft tissue defects around foot and the ankle.
