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Utilizing a Crossover Reverse Sural Artery Flap for Soft Tissue Reconstruction of the Plantar Forefoot After a Severe Degloving Injury

Department of Orthopaedics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, zgonis{at}uthscsa.edu

Douglas T. Cromack, MD

Department of Orthopaedics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

John J. Stapleton, DPM

Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgery; The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Extensive soft tissue defects involving the weight-bearing areas of the plantar aspect of the foot often require coverage with flaps. The options often include free flaps, free muscle flaps with split-thickness skin grafting, or local flaps. When presented with high-energy-induced soft tissue injuries of the foot, choices become narrow, secondary to the associated zone of injury. Free flaps require a viable recipient vessel suitable for microvascular anastomosis. Split-thickness skin grafts applied to the plantar aspect of the foot are prone to persistent breakdown. Local flaps if available are useful for coverage of plantar soft tissue defects. However, when local flaps of the affected limb are compromised or extension is not sufficient for coverage, crossover leg and foot flaps become invaluable. The reported cases of crossover sural artery flaps are sparse. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the few reported cases of crossover leg and sural artery flaps were described to provide soft tissue coverage over the heel and leg. The authors report a case of a crossover reverse sural artery flap for soft tissue coverage to the plantar aspect of the forefoot after a high-energy-induced degloving injury.

Key Words: crossover flaps • lower extremity trauma • soft tissue reconstruction • off-loading external fixation device

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