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. 2021 Feb 13:2021:8886063.
doi: 10.1155/2021/8886063. eCollection 2021.

Sensory Disturbance of the Lower Extremity after Sural Artery Flap Elevation

Kaoru Tada  1 , Seigo Suganuma  1 , Mika Nakada  1 , Masashi Matsuta  1 , Atsuro Murai  1 , Hiroyuki Tsuchiya  1
Affiliations

Sensory Disturbance of the Lower Extremity after Sural Artery Flap Elevation

Kaoru Tada et al. Adv Orthop. .

Abstract

Purpose: Elevation of the sural artery flap with the sural nerve is associated with donor-site morbidities, such as postoperative sensory disturbance of the lower extremity. We evaluated the sensory disturbance of the lower extremity after elevation of the sural artery flap.

Methods: This study included 7 patients who underwent surgery using the sural artery flap. The sensory disturbances immediately after surgery and at present were evaluated on a 10-point scale. The influences of surgery on activities of daily living and patient satisfaction were also evaluated.

Results: The sensory disturbance was 4.48 immediately after surgery and 2.24 presently, and the difference between the timepoints was not statistically significant. The influence of surgery on activities of daily living was 2.30, and the patient satisfaction was 7.90.

Conclusion: It may be necessary to consider the sural artery flap, which does not include the sural nerve, to avoid unnecessary complications. When it is unavoidable to use the sural artery flap, including the sural nerve, it is important to thoroughly inform patients beforehand about the postsurgery sensory disturbance in the lower extremities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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