Vacuum sealing drainage combined with free anterolateral femoral skin flap grafting in 16 cases of pediatric soft tissue damage to the foot and ankle

BACKGROUND: To investigate the clinical experience and discuss the use of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) combined with free anterolateral femoral flap grafting to treat pediatric foot and ankle soft tissue traumas. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 16 pediatric patients with foot and ankle soft tissue traumas treated with free anterolateral femoral flap grafting from January 2015 to January 2018. After successful debridement and VSD, the clinical efficacy of the procedure was evaluated by observing parameters such as the color, shape, and texture of the flap on the receptor site. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 23–32 months after surgery. Of the 16 patients, six had a flat flap appearance, while the remaining ten patients required flap repair surgery 6–9 months after the procedure. Eight of these ten patients had a satisfactory repair, and the remaining two patients had further repair surgery 9–10 months after the flap grafting. The postoperative results of all patients were satisfactory; no local infection, good flap survival, soft texture, glossy elasticity, and flat appearance. Statistical results showed only one case of local necrosis at the distal end of the flap, and the wound healed at stage II after redebridement and dressing change. CONCLUSIONS: VSD combined with free anterolateral femoral flap grafting is an easy and reliable operation with a good prognosis and excellent clinical utility and feasibility for treating pediatric patients with foot and ankle soft tissue traumas.