The skin and soft tissue defect of the lower leg may occur after trauma and in association with osteomyelitis.
There are several methods to reconstruction of the skin and soft tissue defect of the lower leg, for examples, local flaps, myocutaneous flap, fasciocutaneous flaps, and free flaps.
The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are well known. The local flaps in the lower leg have limitations in terms of their position, size. However, fasciocutaneous flaps have far fewer limitations because of a relatively rich vascular plexus, and their advantages are simple surgical techniques, less cost, and less hospitalization. The most important operative techniques are including the deep fascia in the flaps with avoid damaging the fascial plexus. The fascial plexus is located immediately superficial to the deep fascial and communicates with subdermal plexus.
The following case reports demonstrate technical consideration in each case and the advantages of fasciocutaneous flap on the reconstruction of the skin and soft tissue defect in the lower leg.
|