Medial Sural Artery Islanded Pedicled Perforator Flap for Resurfacing Areas in the Popliteal Fossa Following Postburn Contracture Release Using Normal versus Scar Tissue

Abstract

Abstract Background The medial sural artery perforator (MSAP) flap is reliable in resurfacing defects of the popliteal fossa. There is possibility of resurfacing the popliteal fossa defects after postburn contracture release with scarred MSAP flaps with good overall long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods A study was conducted from June 2017 to July 2023 to evaluate the functional and surgical scar aesthetic outcome in patients with soft-tissue defects in the popliteal fossa after postburn contracture release that were reconstructed using scarred and unscarred MSAP flap with 10 patients in each group. Results The clinical outcome was assessed in terms of the perioperative and late postoperative complications, range of motion of the knee joint along with surgical scar outcome using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). The functional results in the scar tissue flap group were comparable with those in the normal tissue flap group, but the aesthetic outcome of surgical scar was found to be better in the normal tissue flap group. Conclusion The MSAP flap provides ideal tissue for soft-tissue reconstruction with minimal donor site morbidity for popliteal fossa defects after postburn contracture release in both the scarred and unscarred flap groups.