[Emergency repair of skin and soft tissue defects of lower limbs with island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery].

Objective: To find a better method of emergency repair of skin and soft tissue defects in the lower leg, ankle and foot.

Methods: The distally based superficial sural artery flap was designed on the posterior aspect of the leg. From February 2000 to December 2003, 18 patients with skin and soft tissue detects of the lower leg, ankle and foot were treated with island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery by emergency. The size of the flap ranged form 4 cm x 5 cm to 11 cm x 12 cm.

Results: The flaps survived totally in 16 cases and necrosed partially in 2 cases. After 1-2 year postoperative follow-up, the results were satisfactory except that in 2 flaps.

Conclusion: The island fasciocutaneous flap supplied by superficial sural artery may provide a useful method for emergency repair of soft tissue defect of the lower limbs.