The venoneuroadipofascial pedicled distally based sural island myofasciocutaneous flap: case reports.

Complex soft-tissue defects of the lower third of the leg, the heel and the ankle still present a challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. In addition to skin replacement, many of these defects require muscle bulk, which promotes the healing of open bone fractures, effectively fills osteomyelitic cavities and deep three-dimensional defects, and helps to reconstruct the Achilles tendon. In an anatomical study, we developed a new flap based on the 'neuromuscular concept'. This flap consists of a paddle of gastrocnemius muscle and a skin paddle based distally on the sural venoneuroadipofascial pedicle supplied by the lower peroneal perforators. Three cases are presented to illustrate the versatile use of this flap. Copyright 2002 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.