Sural perforator flap for reconstructive surgery in the lower leg and the foot: a clinical study of 86 patients with post-traumatic osteomyelitis

SummaryBackgroundThe treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the lower leg and the foot remains a challenge in reconstructive surgery.Material and methodsEighty-six patients with lower leg post-injury chronic osteomyelitis were included in a retrospective, non-controlled clinical study conducted from 1995 to 2006. All study patients were managed by distally based sural neuro-fascio-cutaneous perforator flap. An endpoint survey was conducted after flap surgery and had a mean follow-up period of 5.5 years, wherein the response rate was 48%.ResultsSeven patients had a short-term flap failure (8%; 95% CI 3−16%). An additional eight patients (7%) had flap necrosis of less than one-fourth of the flap that healed without surgical revision. Based on the endpoint data, the long-term success rate was 87% (95%, CI 72–96%). Local and/or systemic physiological compromise was a risk factor for flap failure. Other assumed risk factors had no statistically significant impact on short- or long-term results.ConclusionSural perforator flap is a robust flap with low failure rate, even in high-risk patients. The success rate compares favourably with results of free flap transfers in the management of post-traumatic osteomyelitis. The flap has a wide range, and the surgical technique is rather simple. The sural flap is a feasible option for post-traumatic reconstructions of osteomyelitis, especially in low-resource settings.