Reconstruction of Massive Midfoot Bone and Soft Tissue Loss as a Result of Blast Injury

Abstract

Lower extremity blast injuries represent a unique challenge to surgeons and often involve complex, limb-threatening wounds with extensive soft tissue and bone loss. Surgical treatment of these injuries can be difficult because of limited autogenous resources for reconstruction of the defect. In this article, we describe a technique for medial column reconstruction using iliac crest bone graft and soft tissue coverage with an abductor hallucis rotational flap combined with a split-thickness skin graft. This method addresses the extensive bone and soft tissue defects that frequently characterize blast injuries to the foot, and may be applicable in other situations where trauma or infection has caused extensive destruction of the medial column.