Objective: To investigate the application and clinical result of flap in the repair of wounds with Achilles tendon exposure.
Methods: Between May 2006 and May 2010, 21 patients with Achilles tendon skin defects were treated with microsurgical reconstruction. There were 15 males and 6 females, aged 7-63 years with a median of 34 years. The defect causes included sport injury in 4 cases, wheel twist injury in 7 cases, crush injury in 5 cases, chronic ulcer in 3 cases, and Achilles tendon lengthening in 2 cases. The areas of wounds with Achilles tendon exposure ranged from 2 cm x 2 cm to 10 cm x 8 cm. After debridement, wounds were repaired with the medial malleolus fasciocutaneous flap (5 cases), sural neurocutaneous vascular flap (8 cases), foot lateral flap (2 cases), foot medial flap (2 cases), and peroneal artery perforator flap (4 cases). The size of the flaps ranged from 3 cm x 3 cm to 12 cm x 10 cm. The donor sites were either sutured directly or covered with intermediate split thickness skin grafts. The Achilles tendon rupture was sutured directly (2 cases) or reconstructed by the way of Abraham (2 cases).
Results: All flaps survived and wounds healed by first intention except 2 flaps with edge necrosis. Twenty-one patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 12 months). The flaps had good appearance and texture without abrasion or ulceration. The walking pattern was normal, and the two point discrimination was 10-20 mm with an average of 14 mm. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Scale assessment revealed that 10 patients had an excellent result, 7 had a good result, 3 had a fair result, and 1 had a poor result with an excellent and good rate of 81.0%. Fourteen cases could lift the heels with power; 5 cases could lift the heels without power slightly; and 2 cases could not lift the heels.
Conclusion: The wounds with Achilles tendon exposure should be repaired as soon as possible by appropriate flap according to the condition of wound.