Management of lower third limb defects is a common challenge for the reconstructive surgeon due to a lack of soft tissue in that anatomic area. Traditionally, lower third of the limb defects were usually reconstructed with free flaps. The evolution of reconstructive surgery enabled thinner and pliable flaps to be harvested for the purpose of minimizing morbidity from muscle inclusion into the flap. With the introduction of perforator flaps, repairing of small and medium size defects of the distal lower third of leg and ankle region is possible with minimal donor site morbidity. Perforator flaps are based on cutaneous, small diameter vessels that arise from a main pedicle that adjacently perforates the fascia to reach the skin. In this article, we present our experience with two cases involving the repair of these defects by using posterior tibial artery perforator flaps.
Key words: Perforator flaps, posterior tibial artery, propeller flaps, reconstruction
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