Distally Based Adipofascial Flaps for Reconstruction of Distal Lower-Extremity Defects: Clinical Outcomes and Reconstructive Considerations

Background

Soft-tissue defects of the distal lower extremity involving the malleolar regions, the Achilles tendon area, and the heel remain challenging to reconstruct because of limited local tissue availability and variable perforator-based vascularity. Distally based adipofascial flaps, which omit the cutaneous paddle used in conventional fasciocutaneous flap designs, may provide a useful option for coverage of selected defects in this region while avoiding the need for microsurgical free-tissue transfer.