Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle

Background: Despite advances in surgical skills, adipofascial flaps are still less preferred option for coverage of leg defect. We evaluate the use of perforator-based adipofascial flap in small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defects in the lower limb. Patients and Methods: After localisation of perfor...

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Main Authors: Deepak Nanda, Shamendra Anand Sahu, Durga Karki, Sanjay Kumar, Amrita Mandal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2018-05-01
Series:Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
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Online Access:http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.4103/ijps.IJPS_19_17
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author Deepak Nanda
Shamendra Anand Sahu
Durga Karki
Sanjay Kumar
Amrita Mandal
author_facet Deepak Nanda
Shamendra Anand Sahu
Durga Karki
Sanjay Kumar
Amrita Mandal
author_sort Deepak Nanda
collection DOAJ
description Background: Despite advances in surgical skills, adipofascial flaps are still less preferred option for coverage of leg defect. We evaluate the use of perforator-based adipofascial flap in small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defects in the lower limb. Patients and Methods: After localisation of perforators along the major axial vessels in the lower limb using handheld Doppler, adipofascial flap based on the nearest best perforator of anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and peroneal artery was raised to cover soft-tissue defect in 21 patients. The flap was transposed over the defect and covered by split-skin graft. Donor site was primarily closed. Flap complications, functional and aesthetic outcomes are noted in follow-up. Results: There was partial loss of flap in five patients. After debridement and dressings, split-skin grafting was done for four patients and one patient was managed with local flap. Scar over the flap was stable with no reports of recurrent ulceration or breakdown of wound in 6-month follow-up. Four of five patients reported adequate healing of the fractured bone. Average visual analogue score was 8.24/10 for appearance of donor site as evaluated by the patient. Conclusions: Perforator-based adipofascial flap is a good alternative for coverage of small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defect of the leg, particularly over the malleolus and lower part of the leg. Use of adipofascial tissue and primary closure of the donor site causes minimal donor-site morbidity. Adipofascial perforator flap provides aesthetically superior recipient-site scar with satisfactory functional outcome.
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spelling doaj-art-fb8aaa8885a946909cf2dda76476d7722025-08-20T03:25:31ZengThieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery0970-03581998-376X2018-05-01510221622110.4103/ijps.IJPS_19_17Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankleDeepak Nanda0Shamendra Anand Sahu1Durga Karki2Sanjay Kumar3Amrita Mandal4Department of Burns, Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Burns, Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, Patna, Bihar, IndiaDepartment of Burns, Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, New Delhi, IndiaBackground: Despite advances in surgical skills, adipofascial flaps are still less preferred option for coverage of leg defect. We evaluate the use of perforator-based adipofascial flap in small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defects in the lower limb. Patients and Methods: After localisation of perforators along the major axial vessels in the lower limb using handheld Doppler, adipofascial flap based on the nearest best perforator of anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery and peroneal artery was raised to cover soft-tissue defect in 21 patients. The flap was transposed over the defect and covered by split-skin graft. Donor site was primarily closed. Flap complications, functional and aesthetic outcomes are noted in follow-up. Results: There was partial loss of flap in five patients. After debridement and dressings, split-skin grafting was done for four patients and one patient was managed with local flap. Scar over the flap was stable with no reports of recurrent ulceration or breakdown of wound in 6-month follow-up. Four of five patients reported adequate healing of the fractured bone. Average visual analogue score was 8.24/10 for appearance of donor site as evaluated by the patient. Conclusions: Perforator-based adipofascial flap is a good alternative for coverage of small-to-medium-sized soft-tissue defect of the leg, particularly over the malleolus and lower part of the leg. Use of adipofascial tissue and primary closure of the donor site causes minimal donor-site morbidity. Adipofascial perforator flap provides aesthetically superior recipient-site scar with satisfactory functional outcome.http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.4103/ijps.IJPS_19_17adipofascial flapadipofascial perforator flaplower leg soft-tissue defectperforator flapturnover flap
spellingShingle Deepak Nanda
Shamendra Anand Sahu
Durga Karki
Sanjay Kumar
Amrita Mandal
Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
adipofascial flap
adipofascial perforator flap
lower leg soft-tissue defect
perforator flap
turnover flap
title Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
title_full Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
title_fullStr Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
title_full_unstemmed Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
title_short Adipofascial perforator flaps: Its role in reconstruction of soft-tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
title_sort adipofascial perforator flaps its role in reconstruction of soft tissue defects of lower leg and ankle
topic adipofascial flap
adipofascial perforator flap
lower leg soft-tissue defect
perforator flap
turnover flap
url http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.4103/ijps.IJPS_19_17
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AT durgakarki adipofascialperforatorflapsitsroleinreconstructionofsofttissuedefectsoflowerlegandankle
AT sanjaykumar adipofascialperforatorflapsitsroleinreconstructionofsofttissuedefectsoflowerlegandankle
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