Distal posterior tibial artery perforator flaps for the treatment of chronic lower extremity wounds

Background: Chronic lower extremity wounds due to infection, diabetes mellitus, and osteomyelitis have always been arduous to treat. Among an ocean of reconstructive techniques, the distal posterior tibial artery perforator flap has been gaining popularity in the recent years. Materials and methods: In this article, we describe our experience in the treatment of twenty-eight patients with chronic lower limb wounds using distal posterior tibial artery perforator flaps. Results: Complete survival of the flap was recorded in 23 cases, small superficial necrosis was observed in five cases, four of which were reconstructed with split thickness skin grafts, the latter was directly sutured after debridement, and all eventually healed. Conclusions: The posterior tibial artery perforator flap is a feasible option for the management of the small-to-medium sized defects resulting in chronic lower extremity wounds.