Reconstruction following resection of soft-tissue sarcomas at the ankle region in seven patients

The defects following soft-tissue or bone malignancies resection tend to be wide and composite at the region of ankle, and reconstruction of the defects is a difficult task. Between 1982 and 2007, we performed reconstruction for the defects of the ankle region in seven patients. All of the patients underwent free tissue transfer, and the selected methods are different for each case. No perioperative complications have occurred in any patients. All flaps survived completely. Two patients had local recurrence and amputation was carried out. Functional and aesthetical improvement is desirable for reconstruction of the ankle. We consider it important to select reconstructive options based on the size and volume of the defects and tissue deficiency; and free tissue transfer is useful for the reconstruction of the wide and composite defects at the ankle region. (C) 2009 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.