Soft tissue reconstruction with reverse flow sural flap in pilon fractures

Abstract

Soft tissue reconstruction with reverse flow sural flap in pilon fractures Objective: Pilon fractures are usually caused by high-energy traumas and associated with surrounding soft tissue damage. In addition to the patient's medical state and comorbidities, the poor vascular supply of the distal tibia makes the reconstruction challenging in most of the cases. Material and Methods: Eight patients with pilon fractures (AO types 43A-C) who were treated by the orthopaedics clinic between January 2012 and August 2015 were included in the study. These patients were consulted to our clinic due to full thickness soft tissue defect at the affected site during the operation, and were treated with reverse flow sural flap. Patients were analyzed retrospectively in terms of age, etiology, size of defect and postoperative complications. Results: Between January 2012 and August 2015, 8 patients (4 females, 4 males) aged between 7 and 88 years (mean age:46 years) underwent soft tissue reconstruction with reverse flow sural flap, due to tissue defect occurred after the pilon fracture. In the postoperative period, complications such as wound dehiscence, flap loss and infection were not encountered in any patients except one, who developed partial soft tissue necrosis and healed by secondary intention. Conclusion: Pilon fractures are among the most difficult fractures of the ankle to treat, and have a high complication rate. Sural flap is a reliable way to reconstruct distal tibial defects in single or multiple-stage approaches.