Estimation of sensitivity of island fasciocutaneous neurovascular medial plantar flap in the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in calcaneal region

Abstract

The soft tissue cover in the calcaneal region represents one of the great problems in the reconstructive surgery. The distant skin, muscle and musculocutaneous flaps are subjected to ulcers even with the orthopedic shoes. The island fasciocutaneus mid sole neurocutaneous flap can be a good substitute for the soft tissue cover due to its anatomic structure. The flap has the required dimensions, sticks well to the bone and the movements and mobility of the patient is unrestricted. This paper analyses the sensitivity of the transposed flap and the sole distal to the secondary defect observed in 30 patients. The evaluation was made after tactile tests, two-point discrimination test, the warm-cold test, the electrostatus of medial plantar nerve (MPN), and the ninhydrin test. All the tests, including the electrostatus MPN, done after 3 weeks and 3 months after the surgery, showed successful recovery of sensitivity in the transposed medial plantar flap. The results monitored after three months showed that the speed of the neural conduction recovery was 70% of normal neural reaction speed of the MPN. The modified operative techniques provide safe dissection of the plantar nerve with minimal neuropraxia. The postoperative recovery of sensitivity was more rapid, and without loss of sensitivity on the sole.