Objective To explore the effect of transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap on repairing the heel skin defect. Methods From February 2000 to April 2004, 4 kinds of flaps with non-main vessel pedicle were used to repair 30 cases of heel skin defect. Of the 30 patients, 19 were male and 11 were female, whose ages ranged from 8 to 65. Among them, 19 cases were crush injury, 5 cases were press injury, 3 cases were electric saw injury, 2 cases were osteomyelitis, and 1 case was squamous cell carcinoma. Fourteen cases were with defect area ranged from 6.0 cm×5.5 cm to 16.5 cm×11.0 cm. All the 14 cases were repaired with distant pedicled sural vascular flap of nutrient vessels and saphenous vascular flap of nutrient vessels.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 6.0 cm×5.0 cm to 18.0 cm×12.0 cm. And the other 16 cases with defect area ranged from 2.5 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×4.5 cm were repaired with foot lateral flap and foot base medial flap.The sizes of the dissected flap ranged from 4.0 cm×3.0 cm to 8.0 cm×7.0 cm. Results All cases were followed up for 6 to 12 months. The flaps all survived with satisfactory appearance and no ulceration. Callus appeared in 2 cases.The sense of pain and touch was partly or completely restored. The two-point discrimination sense recovered to 1.0-3.2 cm. Conclusion As it is easilyaccessible, highly flexible and causes little damage to blood circulation, transferring adjacent non-main vessel pedicle flap is effective in repairing foot heel skin defect.
