Ammar Anwer, Muhammad Anwar, Muhammad Tariq.
Versatility of Lateral Calcaneal Artery Skin Flap for Coverage of Posterior Heel Defects - Our Experience.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;7(3):679-83.

Aim: To describe our early experience of five patients treated with the lateral calcaneal artery skin flap for reconstruction of posterior heel defects. Methods: Our case series was conducted at department of Plastic Surgery Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan from July 2009 to June 2012. Five patients (4 male and 1 female) with soft-tissue defects over the posterior heel underwent reconstruction using a lateral calcaneal artery skin flap. The etiology was trauma in two patients, chronic ulcer in two and surgical wound dehiscence in one. The flap sizes ranged from 3.5 × 2.0 cm to 6.5 × 3.5 cm and the mean follow up was 10 months. Results: All five flaps survived completely with no subsequent breakdown of the skin, even after regularly wearing normal shoes. The skin flap donor sites were grafted with split thickness skin grafts in all patients. One donor site showed secondary healing and developed hyperkeratosis at graft and planter skin junction. And one patient showed marginal flap skin desquamation. Conclusion: The lateral calcaneal artery skin flap can be used safely to provide sensory skin coverage to the posterior heel in one stage.

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