Factors Which Determine Success Of Reverse Sural Artery Flap For Repair Of Lower Limb Defects: A Retrospective Study In A Tertiary Care Centre In South India

BACKGROUND Reverse sural artery flap is a fasciocutaneous flap which is still a workhorse in covering distal third of leg defects when the option of free tissue transfer is not practical. To know the association between the successful outcome of the flap and the selected factors.MATERIALS AND METHODS Our retrospective study included 40 patients who had soft tissue defect in the distal third of the leg, heel, ankle and dorsum of the foot. Detailed history was obtained, thorough clinical examination performed, necessary preoperative investigations done and reverse sural artery fasciocutaneous flap cover performed.STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED-IBM-SPSS-STATISTICS-VERSION 20.RESULTS All the patients selected in the study group underwent reverse sural artery flap cover in a satisfactory way. Majority of the patients were discharged with no complications and a minor group of them with minimal complications.CONCLUSION Reverse sural artery flap is a versatile and reliable flap for the coverage of soft tissue defects of distal lower extremity. The leading independent factors which contribute to the success of the flap are trauma as the aetiology, distal third of the leg, and dorsum of the foot being the site of the defect and flap size of 24 sq. cm in comparison to the rest of the factors in the study.