Medial plantar perforator flaps with supermicrosurgery

Abstract

Since the 1980s, the concept of the perforator flap has been modified to include new perforator flaps. A medial plantar perforator flap, which has no fascial component and is nourished only with perforators of the medial plantar vessel and a cutaneous vein, or with a small segment of the medial plantar vessel, was developed. A free medial plantar perforator flap was successfully transferred for coverage of a soft-tissue defect in the finger. The advantages of this flap are minimum donor site morbidity, minimum damage to the posterior tibial and medial plantar systems, no need for deep dissection, possible thinning of the flap with primary defatting, a short time for flap elevation, use of a large cutaneous vein as a venous drainage system, a good color and texture match for finger pulp repair, a concealed donor scar, and possible application as a flow-through flap as a free flap and an island perforator flap for plantar weight-bearing defects.