Reconstructive surgery for foot and ankle defects in pediatric patients: Comparison between anterolateral thigh perforator flaps and deep inferior epigastric perforator flaps.

BACKGROUNDS: Due to the delicate tissue, small blood vessels and incomplete development of interarticular ligaments, skin and soft-tissue defects of the foot and ankle in pediatric patients remain a challenge for orthopedic and plastic surgeons. Anterolateral thigh perforator (ALTP) flap and deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap are the most commonly used flaps for the repair of lower-extremity soft-tissue defects. The literature contains a shortage of evidence involving the differences between ALTP and DIEP flaps in the reconstruction of young patients with complex foot and ankle defects. This study was designed to determine which type of flap is better for foot and ankle repair in pediatric patients.

METHODS: From January 2004 to January 2018, 79 children younger than 14 years treated with DIEP flap (41 cases) or ALTP flap (38 cases) for composite defects of the feet and ankles were retrospectively investigated. The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age, the location of the defect, etiology, and flap area. Complications, scarring, cosmetic appearance, flap sensory recovery, and functional outcome were analyzed, and statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The ALTP group had shorter operation time (155.0 ± 12.0 min vs 212.2 ± 23.9 min), flap harvested time (39.6 ± 5.1 min vs 57.2 ± 10.4 min), and operative blood loss (143.4 ± 23.7 ml vs 170.7 ± 44.7 ml) than the DIEP group (P <  0.05). In short-term follow-up, ALTP group showed a lower flap necrosis rate (5.3% vs 24.4%) and vascular insufficiency rate (2.6% vs 19.5%) than DIEP group (P <  0.05). In long-term follow-up, ALTP group showed a lower late complication rate and better cosmetic, functional, scar outcomes than DIEP group (P <  0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that an ALTP flap may brings better results than a DIEP flap in terms of short- and long-term complications, scarring, and morpho-functional outcomes for pediatric patients undergoing reconstruction of foot and ankle defects.