Reversed Adipofascial Flap in Lower Leg: Can It Replace the Free Flap?.

Lee, Young Jin; Ahn, Hee Chang; Choi, Methew Seung Suk; Hwang, Weon Jung

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 2005;32(1):100-104.
Published online January 1, 2005.

Reversed Adipofascial Flap in Lower Leg: Can It Replace the Free Flap?.

Young Jin Lee, Hee Chang Ahn, Methew Seung Suk Choi, Weon Jung Hwang

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. ahnhc@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

A soft tissue defect of the lower leg or foot presents a challenging problem. Reconstructive surgeon should be armed at all points of wound site, tendon and bone exposure, injury of major vessel and so on in the lower limb. We reconstructed the defects of lower legs and feet of 25 patients between February, 1997 and December, 2003. Applying reversed adipofascial flap with skin graft on a soft tissue defect of the lower leg or foot is challenging. We did a comparative study of 25 reversed adipofascial flaps with 51 free flaps. All 25 cases of reverse adpofascial flap reconstruction were successful except for a partial loss of skin graft in 3 occasions. The reversed adipofascial flap had a merit of a short operation time and hositalization, a high success rate and minimum complications. Besides major vessels in the lower leg are better preserved and donor morbidity is minimal. However, the flap is unmerited in reconstructing a hug hallowed defect and in the leg with poor blood circulation and once previous surgery. The operators may consider the feasible substitution of reversed adipofascial flap for free flap before applying in the lower leg.

Keywords: Reversed adipofascial flap