Synchronous Soleus and Reverse Sural Flap for Large Soft Tissue Defect Reconstruction of Leg

BACKGROUND: Extended Soft tissue defect of leg including middle and distal parts always has been a challenge for many plastic surgeons and also a frustrated problem for patients and families. To introduce the use of the soleus muscle and reverse sural flaps as synchronous surgical treatment alternative of the leg bone exposure with large soft tissue defect, this study was conducted. METHODS: The medical records of patients undergoing transposition of the soleus muscle for treating exposed bone in the leg and simultaneous sural flap were retrospectively analyzed from January 2009 to July 2014, while gathering information on the used muscle was to cover the lesion. RESULTS: Twelve patients with varying ages between 22 and 58 years (10 males and 2 females) were enrolled. The main initial injury was trauma (84.8%), consisting of tibia and/or fibula fractures. Only 1 patient developed insignificant distal flap necrosis who was treated subsequently with surgical debridement and flap re-advancement. CONCLUSION: The treatment of bone exposure with local muscle flaps (soleus and sural) enables obtaining satisfactory results in covering of exposed structures, favoring local vascularization and improving the initial injury. It offers the advantage of providing a treatment in only one surgical procedure, an earlier recovery and reduced hospital stay. Sometimes, this method may be applied instead of free tissue transfer.