Repair of tophus wound of the heel with sural nerve nutrition flap with peroneal artery perforating branch: a retrospective study.

Abstract

This study was to investigate the clinical effect of a sural nerve nutrition flap with peroneal artery perforator for repairing tophus wound of the heel. Over a 5-year period, 7 elderly male patients with tophus ulceration of the heel were admitted with exposed Achilles' tendon, and a chronic unhealed wound. Debridement, expansion and vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) lavage were performed initially, with simultaneous uric acid-lowering treatment. A 4×6-8×10 cm sural nerve nutrition flap with peroneal artery perforator was the secondary repair after further debridement of the wound. Preoperative Doppler ultrasound located the penetrating point of the peroneal artery perforator as the rotation point of the flap, and the line between the midpoint of the Achilles' tendon and the lateral malleolus and the midpoint of the popliteal fossa 5° above the front of Achilles' tendon was the axis. The patients were treated postoperatively with anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and spasmolytic drugs and other rehydration therapy, and allopurinol was continued to control uric acid. The blood supply and temperature of the flap and wound healing were monitored. All 7 flaps survived completely after operation, with 1 case of postoperative wound discharge that finally healed after dressing change and 1 case of skin flap redness and swelling, which improved after strengthening anti-infection treatment. All 7 patients were followed up for 6-12 months (average 10 months). The skin flaps were soft in texture, with good color and appearance, and no recurrence of ulceration. The dorsal extension and plantar flexion of the ankle joint were good, and function was satisfactory. The sural nerve nutrition flap with peroneal artery perforator has double blood supply, strong anti-infective ability, relatively fast tissue healing process, simple operation and high survival rate, making it ideal for repairing tophus wounds of the heel.