Objective: To discuss the surgery procedure and the clinical effectiveness of repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap.
Methods: Between July 2002 and October 2010, 8 patients with skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel were treated. There were 6 males and 2 females with an average age of 42 years (range, 28-65 years). The locations were the left foot in 5 cases and the right foot in 3 cases. Defects were caused by ulcer of the heel in 2 cases, by poor healing of incision after calcaneus fracture surgery in 1 case, and by crushing in 5 cases. The defect size ranged from 1.5 cmx 1.0 cm x 8.0 cm x 2.6 cm. The disease duration was 30 minutes to 26 months. The result of bacterial culture was positive in 2 cases. After 9 to 15 days of debridement and dressing change, defects were repaired with the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap of 5.6 cm x 1.5 cm to 7.6 cm x 1.8 cm at size. The donor site were sutured directly.
Results: Partial necrosis of muscle flap occurred in 1 case at 4 days after operation, which was cured by symptomatic treatment, and the other muscle flaps survived. All incisions of the donor sites healed by first intention. The muscle flaps survived and the granulation grew well at 9-21 days after operation, and the muscle flap wounds were repaired by free leg edge thickness skin grafting. Wounds were repaired by one-stage free skin grafting in 1 case and by two-stage free skin grafting in 7 cases; all skin flaps survived and wounds healed by first intention. Seven patients were followed up 9-18 months (mean, 11 months). The appearance, texture, and sensation were satisfactory. The two-point discrimination was 16-23 mm (mean, 19.5 mm). Epidermal abrasion occurred in 1 case of heel ulcer after weigt-bearing walking. Hallux valgus and muscle weakness occurred in 1 case of necrosis of the peroneus length tendons; and the satisfactory results were achieved in the other patients.
Conclusion: It has satisfactory effectiveness to use the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap for repairing skin and soft tissue defects in the lateral foot and the heel, which has the advantages of easy-to-operate, safe, less injury at donor site, good appearance and texture, and good recovery of sensation.